BIZCHINA / Center
Watchdog rejects US's toothpaste warning
By Zhu Zhe (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-06-04 08:19
The country's top quality watchdog this weekend strongly disagreed with a
warning by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over the safety of
Chinese toothpaste, saying it was "unscientific, irresponsible and
contradictory".
Related readings:
FDA says avoid toothpaste made in China
FDA: avoid toothpaste made in China
Gov't probes 'tainted toothpaste' case
China investigates into tainted toothpaste
In response to an FDA notice saying toothpaste made in China may contain
a poisonous chemical, the General Administration of Quality Supervision,
Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) said in a statement that it is safe to
consume the chemical in question in small quantities.
"Our research shows that toothpaste containing up to 15.6 percent
diethylene glycol, the chemical that the US side is concerned about, is
safe, even after prolonged use," the statement said.
The US started checking Chinese toothpaste imports on May 23 as media
reports that the products may contain diethylene glycol, a solvent
sometimes used as a substitute for glycerin, a sweetener used in drugs.
After finding Chinese toothpaste containing 3-4 percent diethylene
glycol, the FDA on Friday issued a warning about toothpaste made in China.
However, experts from the Chinese Health Ministry said that diethylene
glycol is a "low-level" poison that does not accumulate in the body, and
said there is no evidence that it can cause cancer or deformities.
The AQSIQ also said that a list of the ingredients in the toothpaste
exported to the US had been offered to the FDA. The list included
diethylene glycol. Also, the toothpaste's labeling had already been
registered with the FDA, meaning it could be sold in the US.
"Therefore, the FDA warning is unscientific, irresponsible and
contradictory," the AQSIQ said. "We've lodged a representation to the FDA
and asked it to clarify the facts in a scientific manner as soon as
possible."
Joseph Famulare, an official with the FDA's center for drug evaluation
and research, who was in Beijing attending a workshop this weekend, told
China Daily that the US laws ban diethylene glycol as an ingredient in
toothpaste.
He said recent safety scandals highlighted the importance of being aware
of all the ingredients and intermediates in products.
To improve the quality of management and the regulatory framework for
drug manufacturing, he said the FDA and Peking University had jointly
launched a new graduate program on pharmaceutical engineering management.
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