[Pflienews] PharmFacts E-News Update: Chi-Com maker of abortion pill paralyzes patients with tainted drugs

Fri Feb 1 06:23:17 MST 2008

*PharmFacts E-News Update -- 1 Feb 2008 AD

*http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2008/jan/08013105.html
Manufacturer of RU-486 Paralyzes Patients with Tainted Drug
FDA continues to refuse to investigate Chinese manufacturer

By Matthew Cullinan Hoffman

BEIJING, January 31, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The sole supplier to the 
United States of the abortion drug RU-486 has been selling tainted 
leukemia drugs that have harmed almost 200 Chinese cancer patients, 
according to reports that appeared today in the New York Times and Wall 
Street Journal.

The company's victims have suffered from a variety of health problems, 
including permanent paralysis, incontinence, and leg pain. 

According to the Times, Chinese police have shut down the offending 
plant and have arrested two officials in an ongoing investigation of 
what they have called a "cover-up".   However, the Food and Drug 
Administration is showing little concern about the matter.

The producer, the Shanghai Pharmaceutical Company, is a massive 
enterprise owned by the Chinese communist government.  The same division 
that manufactured the poisoned leukemia drug, Shanghai Hualian, 
manufactures RU-486 for sale to the US.

Shanghai Hualian is under investigation for other offenses, and China's 
own State Food and Drug Administration has accused it of "systematically 
covering up irregularities in manufacturing."  At least two other drugs 
manufactured by Hualian have been pulled from the market by Chinese 
regulators.  However, the FDA is reportedly dismissive of the problem 
and has announced no plans to investigate.

The FDA's lax attitude toward Hualian Pharmaceuticals (also known in the 
English language media as "Hua Lin") continues a policy that has allowed 
the non-profit pro-abortion Population Council to import the drug since 
2000, despite more than 18 years of manufacturing abuse by the Chinese 
company.

In October of 2007, the organization Judicial Watch obtained FDA 
documents showing that the agency was aware of existing abuses eight 
years ago, when they approved RU-486 in a highly controversial decision 
that involved the use of studies by researchers affiliated with 
pro-abortion organizations, including the Population Council.

The FDA had visited Haulian plants in 1999 and 2000, which, according to 
Rep. Chris Smith, showed "serious problems including possible mixing of 
fresh materials with waste material barrels and use of impure source 
ingredients."  The FDA admitted at the time it approved RU-486 for 
importation that the company had a record of violating US regulations, 
going back a decade.

In 2006, the FDA also admitted that over 600 adverse effects and six 
deaths had been attributed to RU-486, but no actions were taken against 
the manufacturer, and the agency has continued to allow the drug to be sold.

"Today's news, regarding the drug maker, Shanghai Hualian, requires 
further investigation in order to better protect women's health," 
Jennifer Lahl, National Director of the Center for Bioethics and Culture 
Network, told LifeSiteNews. 

"Sadly, when it comes to medical practice and pharmaceuticals, we have a 
long history of doctors prescribing medications for women, only to find 
out later how harmful and possible deadly the drugs were.  We should not 
let the politics of abortion get in the way of responsible treatment of 
women." 

Related LifeSiteNews coverage:

New FDA Documents Reveal Abortion Pill RU-486 Made in Substandard 
Chinese Plant When Approved
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/oct/07101703.html

Massive Chinese Recalls, but FDA Silent Over RU-486 Chinese Manufacturers
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/jul/07072607.html

FDA Issues "Information" on Two Recent RU486 Deaths
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/apr/06041105.html

Two More Women Die After Medical Abortion with Abortion Pill RU-486, FDA 
Warns
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/mar/06031702.html

FDA Reveals 607 Adverse Events Related to RU-486 Abortion , Including 
Five Deaths
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/jan/06010301.html

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