SHANGHAI, China (AP) - A blood thinner manufactured in China and linked to dozens of deaths in the United States is now safe because of tighter testing and controls, a top American health official said Monday, while warning that all US imports would...

SHANGHAI - A blood thinner manufactured in China and linked to dozens of deaths in the United States is now safe because of tighter testing and controls, a top American health official said yesterday, while warning that all US imports would face closer scrutiny.

The US Food and Drug Administration has linked 81 deaths and hundreds of allergic reactions to a contaminant found in Chinese-made shipments of the drug heparin.

"We have put in place processes that we believe can ensure the safety of the heparin supply within the United States," US Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt said.

He said all exporters of food, drugs, and other products must prepare to meet more stringent guidelines of quality and safety, following a raft of product safety problems stemming from lax standards among overseas producers, especially in China.

"We believe the system that we have for ensuring safety is a good one but completely inadequate for the future," Leavitt said.

"What you'll see from the United States is a substantial change in our strategy," he added, noting Washington's plans to station FDA inspectors in China and other foreign countries.

Leavitt said he was optimistic American and Chinese officials could soon resolve a dispute over the FDA's investigation into the cause of deaths and reactions linked to heparin.

Washington plans to set up FDA offices in China to help improve product safety following...
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