BEIJING, Nov. 17 -- The National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) issued a circular denouncing forced blood donations in northwest China's Gansu Province on Monday.

A total of ten victims, including seven under the age of 18 were forced to donate blood every month between November 2013 and May 2014, the circular said. Seven people in Wuwei, Gansu province were orchestrated the scandal. They were led by a man named Huang, who was identified as the deputy chief of a state-run blood center, and illegally collected 10,700 yuan (1,742 U.S. dollars) from more than 48 forced blood donations.

Children were beaten and threatened if they did not cooperate. The scam was uncovered when one boy sought his parents' help after being beaten.

Local police arrested six of the seven suspects, with one suspect declared exempt from criminal responsibility for being underage.

NHFPC called on nationwide blood centers and pharmaceutical companies to learn from the scandal. It also required local drug administration to strengthen supervision to eliminate further violations.

In China, the legal age for blood donation is from 18 to 55. Blood centers are required to double-check the donor's identity before taking blood.