DOH lifts ban on China-made milk

MANILA, Philippines –  The Department of Health (DOH) has lifted a total ban imposed on China-made milk and milk products at the height of the melamine scare two years ago.

In a memorandum order, DOH Secretary Enrique Ona said the ban implemented in September 2008 is no longer in effect “so as not to prejudice the business activities of legitimate importers.”

Ona issued the order after importers assured the DOH they only get China milk products that are free from melamine, but he said products repacked without indicating the origin or source, have no seal of approval from the Department of Trade and Industry and from the DOH’s Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) are not allowed.

The order was signed in September 2010 but was uploaded on the FDA’s website only recently.

According to Ona, importers or suppliers of products that tested positive for melamine in the past should submit to the FDA documents to prove that the products no longer contain melamine.

These documents include a certification from the regulatory authority in China that the manufacturer is still active; a duly notarized warranty that the products imported by the Philippines during the melamine scare have already been destroyed or sent back to China and a warranty from the manufacturer authenticated by the Philippine consulate office in China.

“Once the above requirements are submitted and due verification conducted by the FDA, the importer shall be issued a certification by the FDA that it is allowed to import the product,” Ona added.

In 2008, around 50,000 infants in China were hospitalized after taking melamine-contaminated milk. The substance, added to the milk to increase its protein content, caused kidney ailments.

The incident had caused a scare in some parts of the world, including the Philippines, where some of the contaminated products were exported.