Merck receives FDA warning over plant safety

US drugmaker Merck & Co has received a letter from the Food and Drug Administration warning over: "significant deviations from current good manufacturing practice" at the firm's plant in West Point, Philadelphia. Repeated inspections from November 26, 2007 through January 17, 2008, observed "significant objectionable conditions." The FDA noted in its letter that Merck's response to the initial report was "inadequate to address the serious deviations noted," and has given Merck 15 days from receipt of the letter to respond before it takes further action. The agency, in a web site posting, made it clear that it did not believe the issues would affect the safety of the plant's products.