The recent rash of news about quality and identity issues involving a broad range of products imported from China has companies and consumers wondering. Counterfeit drugs and other products have recently been the subjects of one or another problem. China has been recognized by companies, the Food & Drug Administration, and other governments as a problematic source of counterfeit drugs for years. So what's the answer, are Chinese products and ingredients immediately suspect?
The wisest answer is, of course, that on some level, all ingredients and products are suspect! If one intends to build quality into one's products, as is always wise and often required by law and regulations, then taking steps to confirm that ingredients or products are made correctly or are not contaminated should be a routine part of your quality program. This is so regardless of where you get your ingredients or products.
What may be overlooked here is that many Chinese products are of excellent quality and reliability, even as some are not. The real lesson from these recent events goes beyond China, however, and serves as a useful reminder of the importance of quality assurance measures in any packaging or manufacturing operation.
--By Eric F. Greenberg, PC, Attorney-at-Law
greenberg@efg-law.com
