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FDA Heading To China

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The Associated Press

Published: October 17, 2008

WASHINGTON - The Food and Drug Administration will establish its first office in China before the end of the year as part of a broader plan to assure the safety of imports from the developing world.
FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach on Thursday laid out a plan to place more than 60 food and drug regulators worldwide during the next year, with a particular focus on India, Latin America and the Middle East.

The staffers will inspect foreign facilities, provide guidance on U.S. quality standards, and eventually train local experts to conduct inspections on behalf of the FDA.

After opening its initial office in Beijing, the FDA expects to post eight U.S. staffers to China next year and open additional outposts in Shanghai and Guangzhou. The government would send 10 employees to India, split between New Delhi and at least one other location yet to be determined.

The plan for permanent outposts marks a break from the agency's current practice of sending inspectors abroad on individual assignments.

The safety of imported food and drugs has become a growing concern as domestic manufacturers shift operations overseas and foreign producers make inroads here.

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