US health chiefs revisit China problems

US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt and Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach are both on another trip to China to strengthen bilateral efforts to improve the safety of products on which both nations depend.

Sec Leavitt's week-long trip to Beijing and Shanghai includes meetings with senior officials from China's Ministry of Health (including the State Food and Drug Administration). He will be joined by Dr von Eschenbach in Beijing, where they plan to review implementation of two recently-signed memoranda of agreement in this area. Another topic will be plans to establish eight, full-time, direct-hire HHS/FDA positions, along with five locally employed staff, in China as part of the "Beyond our Borders" program (Marketletters passim).