Under mounting public pressure, the Chinese government recently dismanted a government-supported Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that was dispensing oral health education and product endorsements.

The National Committee on Oral Health was found out to be asking companies for "donations" and "sponsorships" after it endorsed certain products. The group was collecting million in dollars each year in exchange for allowing companies to feature their seal of approval. Apparently this "certification" violated Chinese laws, but the NGO had been doing this for nearly 15 years without complaint. It's also quite common in other professional organizations in China, as it is in many other countries. Was the recent food safety scares of ingredients in toothpaste and pet food coming from China to blame for this heightened scrutiny of this NGO? Will it lead to the Chinese government auditing other NGOs?

Imagine if that happened in the U.S. Most NGOs operating in the U.S. fiercely guard their revenue streams with the cloak of confidentiality. Are there quid pro quos involved here as well? Many people wonder.