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US Health Chief Lauds China for Help With Opioid Control

by Associated Press

   BEIJING --

   China has been an "incredible partner" in cracking down on synthetic
   opioids seen as fueling fast-rising overdose deaths in the United
   States, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price said Monday
   during a visit to the country considered the source of many of the
   deadly substances sought by addicts.
   Price said China has been quick to respond when regulators identify a
   threat from a dangerous drug such as fentanyl, the powerful opioid
   blamed for thousands of fatal overdoses, including the death of
   entertainer Prince.
   "When a particular drug is identified as being a problem, China has
   been an incredible partner in helping to stop the production of drugs
   like fentanyl in China," Price told The Associated Press.
   A bigger challenge comes from the "rapidly changing ability of
   individuals to formulate new chemical makeups that are a different drug
   and that aren't in the controlled arena," Price said. "The challenge is
   to get those taken care of much more rapidly. And so that's the
   conversations that we need to be having."
   Last month, China banned a designer drug called U-47700 and three
   others following U.S. pressure to do more to control synthetic opioids.
   In China, U-47700 had been a legal alternative to fentanyl and potent
   derivatives like carfentanil. Its usage has been growing among U.S.
   opioid addicts.
   The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency has long said that China is the top
   source country for synthetic opioids like fentanyl and its precursors,
   assertions Beijing has said lack firm evidence. Still, the two
   countries have deepened cooperation as the U.S. opioid epidemic
   intensifies.
   Price also expressed support for continued funding of the World Health
   Organization amid questions about President Donald Trump's commitment
   to the United Nations. The U.S. is currently the largest contributor to
   the WHO's budget.
   Those in Congress responsible for drawing up budget plans "appreciate
   the importance of WHO, appreciate the incredible importance of the
   United States' support of WHO, not just rhetorically, but financially
   as well," Price said.