Between November 1995 and June 1996, almost 109 children admitted to the University Hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, presented with acute kidney failure. By June 1996, with no idea what was causing the epidemic, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Haiti representative contacted the World Health Organization (WHO, the parent agency of PAHO), and WHO requested that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention investigate. Lead CDC investigator Dr. Katherine O'Brien conducted a case-control investigation, looking for potential clues to the epidemic. The study revealed a strong association between ingestion of two locally produced acetaminophen liquid products (Afebril and Valodon) and illness. Laboratory testing at CDC of samples taken from parents revealed significant contamination with DEG. The factory of the medication manufacturer, Pharval, was subsequently investigated by Dr. Joel Selanikio (also of CDC, and an Epidemic Intelligence Service classmate of Katherine O'Brien). Testing of medication samples taken from the factory samples by both CDC and by an independent commercial lab located in Miami, revealed contamination by DEG of 16.4% and higher. With the available technology of the era, the CDC determined the glycerin used in the syrup preparation was contaminated with approximately 24% DEG. As a result of the case-control findings, and subsequent investigation at the factory, public warnings were issued by the Ministry of Health and bottles of the two medications were taken from pharmacy shelves and destroyed. These measures quickly ended the advance of the epidemic. Only 88 children deaths were recalled by doctors or had medical records. Nearly half of the victims were under the age of two. Ending June 1996, the FDA had discovered counterfeit glycerin traced back to Chemical Trading and Consulting (a German broker), which bought 72 barrels of the syrup from Vos B.V., a Dutch company. Vos records revealed the syrup had been bought from Sinochem International Chemicals Company through a German trader, Metall-Chemie. In July 1996, the American Embassy in China contacted Sinochem and requested a list of Chinese glycerin makers, but the company refused to reveal the names. It was not until September 1996 that Sinochem provided a name of the manufacturer of the tainted syrup. They identified Tianhong Fine Chemicals Factory as the manufacturer. While the FDA tried to find out Tianhong's address, Chinese officials were reluctant to become involved. One year and a half after the FDA began to trace the poisonous shipments, an inspector, Ted Sze, finally visited the