China Medical University School of Pharmacy professor Juang Shin-hun (莊聲宏) yesterday took office as Food and Drug Administration (FDA) director-general, as Minister of Health and Welfare Chiu Tai-yuan (邱泰源) denied a rumor that the personnel change resulted from a factional dispute within the ministry.
Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Chou Jih-haw (周志浩) hosted a handover ceremony from outgoing director general Wu Shou-mei (吳秀梅) to Juang at National Biotechnology Research Park.
The ministry recognized Wu’s efforts over the past seven years, leading the FDA through many challenges, Chou said, adding that she would be returning to academia.
Photo courtesy of the Food and Drug Administration
As FDA head, Juang would focus his expertise on new drug development, cancer drug mechanisms, gene therapy and molecular technology at the agency, he said.
The FDA would continue to improve the nation’s food safety environment by expanding and bolstering food safety management resources, food traceability, border and market inspections, and food businesses’ self-management, as well as the laws regulating regenerative medical products and the drug supply shortage reporting mechanism, Juang said.
Separately, when asked by reporters and legislators at the Legislative Yuan yesterday morning about a rumor that Wu left her post because of factional disputes within the ministry, Chiu said it was “pure fantasy” and that she left her post to return to academics.
Wu served as FDA general director for seven years, contributing her expertise toward solving food and drug safety issues, he said.
The ministry arranged the personnel change with a respectful attitude, while welcoming enthusiastic and determined staff to help the nation move forward, he added.
Responding to a legislator saying that Juang could retire when he reaches 65 years old in January next year, Chiu said he believes that with Juang’s abilities, he can “do three days’ work in one day,” contributing a lot to society.
Chiu was also asked about surgery rooms facing a shortage of large intravenous fluid (IV) bags, as YF Chemical Corp, which provides more than 70 percent of the nation’s IV bags, and was ordered to shut down production in May after it failed an inspection.
Chiu said that a steady supply of IV bags is not a problem and large 1-liter IV bags are expected to be available by the end of the month.
Meanwhile, the ministry is supervising YF Chemical to ensure it makes improvements, and the company is expected to resume production near the end of this year and supply 2-liter IV bags, he said.
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