michelleponders

So I recently heard that 80% of our generic drugs come from China. This is very concerning to me. So I started doing some research. What I have learned has me floored. While I pick myself up off of the floor, let me share what I have learned thus far.

We receive the majority of generic and active pharmaceutical ingredients(APIs) from both China and India. According to the Atlantic Council, only 6% of generic medications come from China with 17% of APIs coming from China. China supplies 70% of APIs to India. India is a large generic medicine provider to the U.S. because the manufacturers in India are more closely aligned to the Food and Drug Administration’s guidelines for production of medication. So between the two countries, 85% of our generic medications come from China and India. I do not know about you but that bothers me. Why are we not manufacturing more APIs and generic medications ourselves? That is what I would like to know. This is not OK.

America is considered the biggest pharmaceutical manufacturer due to the high level of research and development. But it is only name brand pharmaceuticals like Prozac produced by Eli Lilly. Plus, Eli Lilly is the 3rd largest company that manufacturers pharmaceuticals in the world. China is the 2nd largest manufacturer of pharmaceuticals which is not surprising. Of course, the Covid virus was manipulated in a lab and then “accidentally” released from said lab in China. And do not forget China was also creating the vaccine for the virus when it was released from the lab. China has also been manipulating to cross over to humans and creating the vaccine for bird flu.

The pieces of this pharmaceutical puzzle are staring to fit together. It is all about money. As the old saying goes, follow the money trail. The pharmaceutical companies in America have become huge corporations who worry about nothing but money. These corporations are only about money and have no regard to our safety as Americans. By relying so heavily on other counties, like China, we run the risk of receiving generic medications that are not up to our standards. And considering that so many people rely on generic medications to help keep them alive, that is terrifying. I mean, lets face it. These money hungry corporate health insurance companies only want to approve generic meds unless the contracts between the insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies and the pharmacies themselves can make more money. Otherwise, more money can be made by trading with other countries and not making generic meds and their APIs here in America that would be made by FDA standards.

Having such a dependence on foreign countries can lead to a weak supply chain. I understand that trading with other countries is important. But should it be a dependence? The US has API labs but there does not seem to be any interest in manufacturing generic drugs here. The pharmaceutical company Pfizer has made and does make APIs but not for generic drugs to be made in the US. Why? So when we suddenly have issues with China and we can not get generic drugs imported, which is a major possibility these days, many people will be without medication that their very lives depend on. I can also see big pharma, insurance companies, and pharmacies themselves making a ton of money by only having name brand medications available and the consumer is paying way more out of pocket. And when you need a medication for your very survival you will pay whatever you must. That was made quite obvious during the Covid shutdown and the inflation that has followed.

Stephen Schondelmeyer, a professor with the College of Pharmacy at the University of Minnesota stated in the report, “When I looked at the number of new API-facility locations built to make API molecules in the world in the past decade, Taiwan had the largest percentage growth with 326% (189 new API-facilities). India was second with 254% growth (3,676 API-facilities). Israel was third with 131% growth (142 new API-facilities). China was fourth, having grown by 55% (531 API-facilities). Think about just these four countries with the largest percentage growth in new API-facilities: Taiwan, China, India, Israel. Do you see any geopolitical risks there?” In the past decade, the number of U.S. API-facility locations has decreased by 61% (1,951 API-facilities) in favor of contract manufacturers abroad, or turning over the market to Indian drug makers, primarily, in the case of generics. Other countries have made investments in API facilities; the U.S. is falling further behind,” said Schondelmeyer. “These countries present geopolitical uncertainties and concerns, leaving the U.S. vulnerable if we are dependent on their API production for our domestic pharmaceutical needs. We are moving in the wrong direction.”

The fact is we must and need to become way more independent and make generic drugs here in the US. There is money to be made for generic drugs and their APIs for everyday Americans who are at the mercy of insurance companies when it comes to approved tiers for medications. And if the snot-nosed, geriatric majority in Congress actually had term limits, maybe we the people could finally get some much needed change in the pharmaceutical industry here in America.