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Bridget M. Kuehn

JAMA. 2008;299(15):1762.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Spurred, in part, by concerns over contaminated heparin products produced with Chinese ingredients, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is taking steps to expand its presence in the People's Republic of China.

The agency has received approval from the US State Department to establish 8 full-time permanent FDA positions at US diplomatic posts in China and is awaiting approval of the move from Chinese officials. The agency also plans to hire 5 Chinese nationals to work with the new FDA staff members, who will be based in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. The changes are expected to take place over the next 18 months.

With several deaths now linked to contaminated heparin that was derived from an active ingredient produced in China, the agency is facing criticism of its limited oversight of drugs, drug ingredients, and medical products produced abroad. The contaminant had chemical similarities to heparin . . . [Full Text of this Article]