I agree that visits to China should be at the top of the FDA priority list.  I’m not sure about increasing the speed of drug reviews, though, unless that speed increase comes from increased staff.  Asking existing staff to do more in less time is a recipe for another Vioxx disaster.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is working to increase the speed of drug reviews and clean up problems in the division that oversees medical devices, the agency’s commissioner said on Thursday.

Dr. Margaret Hamburg, speaking at the Reuters Health Summit in New York, also said visiting China to discuss the safety of imported products was a top priority for her in 2010.

Source: FDA head to speed reviews, visit China | Industry Summits | Reuters