In a public relations response from the government of China, a company's "license was revoked" this week on the back of a tainted leukemia drug made there which has apparently caused leg pain and partial paralysis in some patients.

It's hard to trust any consumable product from Chinese factories these days after numerous scandals rocked the country's manufacturing industry in 2007, and this can be added to the list. Want some tainted drugs for that condition? Look no further than China.

The company in question, Shanghai Hualian Pharmaceutical Co. -- which is state owned (oddly enough) -- will be fined the highest amount possible under Chinese law as well as products and profit forfeiture from sales of the methotrexate and cytarabin hydrochloride products.

Source

The Chinese state media again is stating that toy company Mattel is to blame for the recent toy recall that has risen awareness about the quality of Chinese-produced goods.

While I don't dispute that Mattel is negligent here, the primary blame is with the Chinese suppliers who can't seem to keep dangerous cross-contamination of chemicals from a plethora of consumer products sold around the world.

China's deft reaction this week reminds me of a wolverine backed into a corner -- it's striking back as it is provoked. Still, these Chinese companies must not have stringent quality control at all, but then again, neither does Mattel apparently.

Source

Will this Chinese recall situation ever end? Well, not today. In the latest edition, a factory in the Chinese capital of Beijing apparently recycled used chopsticks -- to the tune of 100,000 pairs per day -- without properly disinfecting them. Nice, huh?

It's hard to say how used chopsticks were not immediately outed as being used (unless the initial owners left no teeth marks), but in an age of recalls that included pet food, medicine, tires, toothpaste and toys, I guess eating utensils was just the next step.

China's immense growth apparently has led to a complete oversight of inspections for goods as the company marches toward becoming the second-largest exporter in the world behind the U.S.

Source