US health secretary visits China, talks about product safety, child virus, heparin

Mon, May 12 11:51 AM

SHANGHAI, China (AP) _ Exporters of foods, drugs and other products to the United States must be prepared to face closer scrutiny on quality and safety, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt said Monday during a visit to Shanghai. "We believe the system that we have for ensuring safety is a good one but completely inadequate for the future," Leavitt said in an interview with The Associated Press.

"What you'll see from the United States is a substantial change in our strategy," he added, noting Washington's plans to station Food and Drug Administration inspectors in China and other countries. Under fire for a raft of product safety problems stemming from lax safety and quality standards among overseas producers, the FDA and other U.S. agencies responsible for consumer protection are pushing for greater openness and better compliance with U.S. regulations before goods are even shipped from their country of origin.

"We want producers from China and other nations to have access to our consumers and we want to have access to their markets, but this is a reflection of unique problems that are coming from the maturing of a global market," Leavitt said. "Those who are not prepared to be transparent, who do not meet our standards, can count on enhanced scrutiny at our borders," he added.

Leavitt was due to meet later with China's health minister to discuss various issues, including a viral outbreak that has killed at least 34 children and sickened thousands. He said he planned to reiterate a U.S. offer to help China in its fight against the outbreaks of hand, foot and mouth disease.

"We have some people at the Centers for Disease Control who have unique qualifications and experience in this specific disease," Leavitt said. "We have a strong desire for a cooperative relationship where we can share assets, and if this is a such a situation we would welcome that opportunity.

" China's official Xinhua News Agency reported late Sunday that the viral infections had been brought under control in the eastern city of Fuyang, where 22 children had died from the disease as of May 10. American health experts have helped with epidemiology in past disease outbreaks in China, including the SARS epidemic of 2003, when Beijing was criticized internationally for trying to conceal the emergence of the disease.

This latest disease outbreak shows how China has improved its handling of such crises, Leavitt said. "They are regularly updating the public on the results.

It's coming from a system that seems to have integrity in seeking answers," he said. Leavitt also said the two sides were making progress on a dispute over the investigation into imports of heparin, a blood thinner linked to 81 deaths and hundreds of severe allergic reactions.

China disputes the FDA's conclusion that a contaminant found in raw heparin exported from China to the United States caused the adverse reactions. Beijing's drug safety agency has accused the U.S. of blocking its own inquiry into the problem by refusing to provide details on victims and specifics about production of the thinner.

The two sides should resolve the issue soon, Leavitt said. Although heparin was not among drugs named in a drug safety cooperation agreement the two countries signed last December, Leavitt said procedures and relationships established as a result of the pact had become "significant assets.

" Leavitt said he was confident that thanks to stepped up inspections and special testing, the U.S. heparin supply was now safe. "The FDA is satisfied that that which is coming into the United States is safe," he said.

"Testing regimens have been put in place to ensure that.".

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