In July, the European Commission’s Committee on Scientific Emerging Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) proposed guidance on medical devices making use of nanomaterials. Many of the risks of nanoparticles to the environment and human health are not known, and SCENIHR’s recommendations aim to learn about these risks while minimizing them. Five phases are proposed for […]

Three of China’s largest food companies—New Hope Group, COFCO Group and Wilmar International—have joined the Australia-Sino 100-Year Agricultural and Food Safety Partnership (ASA 100), initiated by Australian billionaire, and owner of Harvey Beef, Andrew Forrest. A goal of the partnership is to establish Australia as China’s “friendliest, largest, most reliable, highest quality, most competitive, most […]

The Chinese Food and Drug Administration is permitting the use of medical products for genetic testing of birth defects, which it banned in February (see IBO 4/15/2014). The government explained difficulties in regulating the quality of testing and the excessive fees charged by some test providers as reasons for the ban. Since 2011, products for […]