On January 31, 2008, the New York Times published a somewhat confusing article about the Chinese manufacturer of mifepristone, the medical abortion pill. 

First it is important to note that there is no evidence that mifepristone has been “tainted” or is unsafe. 

As the Times notes, mifepristone is manufactured in China, by the pharmaceutical company Shanghai Hualian.  This same company produces cancer drugs that were found to be “tainted,” resulting in illness and harm to more than 200 Chinese cancer patients last summer.  The Times article noted that mifepristone is the only known product produced by this company that is exported to the U.S.

Again, despite the tone of the article, there is no evidence that mifepristone has been “tainted” or is unsafe.   Mifepristone is produced in a separate facility, located over an hour’s drive from the facility that produced the tainted cancer drugs.  There is no concern of cross-contamination.   The FDA has done safety inspections of the mifepristone-producing plant (as it does with all overseas plants that produce drugs imported to the US) as recently as last summer.  The plant passed inspection. 

In response to the article, Congressman Henry Waxman sent a letter to the FDA, requesting a briefing on FDA inspections of all facilities owned by the Shanghai Pharmaceutical Group that produce drugs for the United States.