Contaminated Toothpaste from China Suspected in Panama

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SUMMARY

The recent discovery of 6,000 tubes of contaminated toothpaste in Panama, believed to originate from China, highlights significant public health risks associated with international trade in ingestible products. The toothpaste, sold under the brand name ShiR Fresh Mint Fluoride Paste, contained diethylene glycol, a toxic substance. This incident follows a previous case involving contaminated pet food that resulted in numerous animal deaths in the U.S. Furthermore, the former head of China's FDA equivalent was sentenced to death for corruption related to the approval of substandard products, raising questions about the effectiveness of regulatory systems in ensuring product safety.

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This discussion is beneficial for public health officials, regulatory agency employees, consumer safety advocates, and anyone involved in international trade of food and pharmaceutical products.

McGyver
The New York Times reports that some 6000 tubes of "contaminated toothpaste" have been found in Panama and are believed to have come from China. If true, this would be the 2nd major incident of contaminated ingestable items in a month. Last month, a key ingredient utilized in pet food killed and sickened dogs and cats across the U.S. Do international trade of ingested products and food items pose key threats to public health? Does this report, if true, suggest wider QC and safety failures in Chinese food and ingestible products? Story link below:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/19/world/americas/19panama.html
 
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Chinese FDA Agency Head Sentanced to Die for Role In

International news reports today that the former head of China's agency (FDA equivalent) will be sentanced to death for "taking bribes" in allowing substandard toothpaste to be manufactured and sold. Story link:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070529/ap_on_re_as/china_tainted_food

In contrast here in the U.S., such individuals and companies are sued, and could can face fines and jailtime for criminal violations.

I wonder which country's system poses a better deterent to such mass failures: China's, or the U.S.?
 
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China's equivalent of the FDA is a joke. In the meantime the toothpaste has been found in the USA and that's not funny.

F.D.A. officials said they found toothpaste containing a small amount of diethylene glycol, a sweet syrupy poison, at a Dollar Plus retail store in Miami, sold under the brand name ShiR Fresh Mint Flouride Paste. The F.D.A. also identified another nine brands of Chinese toothpaste that contain diethylene glycol, some with concentrations of between 3 percent and 4 percent.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/02/h...en=b7cd24295b5415e8&ei=5099&partner=TOPIXNEWS
 
McGyver said:
International news reports today that the former head of China's agency (FDA equivalent) will be sentanced to death for "taking bribes" in allowing substandard toothpaste to be manufactured and sold. Story link:

China's former top drug regulator was sentenced to death Tuesday in an unusually harsh punishment for taking bribes to approve substandard medicines, including an antibiotic blamed for at least 10 deaths.

I heard about the death sentence in conjunction with the substandard antibiotic.

The sad part is the deaths of at least 10 people from bad medicine.
 
If you are buying "store brand" personal care products that have been made in China, throw them out! They have no screening process in place to ensure (at any level) that the crap coming out of there is safe to use.
 
McGyver said:
I wonder which country's system poses a better deterent to such mass failures: China's, or the U.S.?

Duh! LOL. IMO, that is a legal system that works. Talk about "accountability". With those kinds of consequences, your salary is truly earned.
 
Hey this Chinese toothpase really gets around. Northwest Hospital, a privately owned for profit facility in Tucson, has just announced that they are recalling all toothpaste given to patients.

Turns out it was made in China and of questionable quality.
 
China corners market on vitamins

Perhaps this should be in the "Whats Wrong With the U.S. Economy" thread.:rolleyes:

In less than a decade, China has captured 90 percent of the U.S. market for vitamin C, driving almost everyone else out of business.

Chinese pharmaceutical companies also have taken over much of the world market in the production of antibiotics, analgesics, enzymes and primary amino acids. According to an industry group, China makes 70 percent of the world's penicillin, 50 percent of its aspirin and 35 percent of its acetaminophen (often sold under the brand name Tylenol), as well as the bulk of vitamins A, B12, C and

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003732744_vitamins03.html
 
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