Chinese Heparin Scare Sparks Global Look At Drug Imports
This article was originally published in PharmAsia News
Executive Summary
The recent alarm over tainted heparin produced in China has awakened nations around the world to a need for better protection against faulty imported drugs. Backed by congressional promises of more funds, the U.S. FDA plans to station inspectors in selected countries, including China, on a permanent basis instead of relying on inspections at the U.S. border. Regulators in China also have taken small steps to close loopholes in the local oversight system, but that means watching thousands of chemical companies selling pharmaceutical ingredients without a license. Chinese regulators face a daunting task since much of the basic work is done in unregulated family workshops. (Click here for more