FDA Inspectors Set for China
Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt announced that the Food and Drug Administration is planning to open an office in China shortly, after a trip to the Far East. The plans resulted after recent health scares related to products imported from China, such as the recent scandal with tainted heparin. The deal still requires final approval from the Chinese government.
The new FDA Office in China will be headed by Christopher Hickey. Mr. Hickey is currently holding the post of Director for the Department of Health and Human Services Asia and the Pacific office. More details were posted on the America’s Health Insurance Plans website.
Eight permanent FDA positions at U.S. diplomatic posts are planned. Five additional Chinese employees are expected to be hired. Work is anticipated to commence in the Chinese office in May. However, the official field office of the FDA will not open until October.
Secretary Leavitt noted in a press conference that plans include opening FDA offices in other countries as well, such as India and in Central America. Initial plans are underway to work with the government in India. There are almost 100 facilities in India which are inspected by FDA officials.
Statistics from the U.S. government indicate that 80 percent of the chemical ingredients used to manufacture drugs are imported and 40 percent of pharmaceuticals themselves are imported into the U.S. The safety of both product and food imports is increasingly gaining global attention because of the growing number of imports, in addition to concerns about safety.
April 18, 2008 Related topics: Legal & legislative, Facilities, Trends, Quality, Safety, Errors, Pharmaceuticals