China's top health authority has vowed to severely punish malpractice in the purchase and sale of medicine, following a rise in the number of cases, which has led to some multinational company executives receiving prison sentences and senior government officials being investigated .

"Anti-corruption authorities related to health and family planning departments must intensify cooperation with law enforcement authorities to handle cases involving official corruption," Li Xi, head of the discipline inspection team at the National Health and Family Planning Commission, said in a statement on the Ministry of Supervision's website on Sunday.

Health officials must take responsibility and be punished for law violations committed by their subordinates, Li said.