BEIJING — Chinese authorities have begun an investigation of the French drug maker Sanofi after a news report that accused the company of bribing hundreds of Chinese doctors in 2007.

The state-owned 21st Century Business Herald in Guangzhou, citing an unidentified person, reported that the French company paid 503 doctors a total of $274,000 to prescribe Sanofi products, disguising the payments as grants for research programs.

China’s official Xinhua News Agency said on Saturday that the Beijing municipal health bureau was teaming up with disciplinary authorities to look into the research programs and determine whether the payments were actually bribes.

Sanofi did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

According to the 21st Century Business Herald report, Sanofi said it took the claim “very seriously” and had started to investigate the allegations.