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This is the country that threatened to cut off our supply of medicines and plunge the U.S. into ‘the mighty sea of coronavirus.’
A country learns about itself in a crisis, and one revelation in the coronavirus emergency is that we can’t make our own penicillin.
But that was a long time ago. The last U.S. plant to make penicillin, a Bristol-Myers Squibb operation in Syracuse, N.Y., shuttered in 2004.
What happened? According to Rosemary Gibson of The Hastings Center and author of the book China Rx, “Industry data reveal that Chinese companies formed a cartel, colluded to sell product on the global market at below market price, and drove all U.S., European and Indian producers out of business.”
When European firms tried to sell their penicillin ingredients in China, they got a characteristic Chinese welcome: The government, Gibson writes, “imposed high trade barriers, charged astronomical fees for product testing, and held foreign firms to a higher standard than domestic ones.”
Just like that — it’s not so easy to simply start up a penicillin fermenter — we were out of the penicillin-production business.
The story of penicillin is the tale of U.S. dependence on China-sourced pharmaceuticals and active drug ingredients writ large.
From 2010 to 2018, U.S. imports of pharmaceuticals from China increased 75 percent. China is the second largest exporter of drugs and biologics to the United States behind Canada, and our dependence is even greater, given that China is the source of the active ingredients of many drugs produced elsewhere. India, another major source of drugs for the U.S., gets about 75 percent of its active ingredients from China.
China is a dominant force when it comes to generic drugs in particular, which account for the vast majority of medicines that American take. We rely on China for 90 percent of our antibiotics, and for drugs to treat everything from HIV/AIDS to cancer to depression.
China is fully aware of its leverage. It notoriously threatened via its state-run media to cut off our supply of drugs (except fentanyl, of course) and plunge the U.S. into “the mighty sea of coronavirus.”
Even if China weren’t a malign global competitor (it is), a remorseless dictatorship (it is), or a dishonest kleptocracy (it is), there would be risk inherent in having so many of our medications and their components coming from one country. We become vulnerable to any disruption of Chinese production, whether from disease, political unrest, or war.
Beijing is a particularly nasty actor, but the coronavirus has demonstrated that even friendly nations will keep medical supplies from one other if it is in their self-interest to do so.
It is only prudent, then, that the U.S. begin a national effort to produce more of its own medicines. It’s not as though China’s advantage in this area is the result of a policy of strict laissez-faire. The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission attributes China’s success to “government subsidies, a robust chemical industry, IP theft, lax environmental protections, and regulations favoring domestic companies.”
Unspooling supply chains that have developed over the course of the past two decades won’t be simple. The U.S. should create every incentive for drug companies to at least move out of China into other foreign countries, and ideally come back here (economic incentives clearly matter — when drug companies lost tax preferences to manufacture in Puerto Rico, many of them left for China). Eventually, federally funded health systems, including Medicare, Medicaid, and the Veterans Administration, should buy only American-sourced pharmaceuticals.
Prescient commentators have been warning of our growing dependence on China for medicines for years. After this, there’s no excuse for not fixing it.
We’re needing to take a hard look at our business relationship with China, that’s for sure. I know this guy who has been shouting this to anyone who would listen for a few decades now. Maybe we should elect him President. Oh, wait..,.
We’re needing to take a hard look at our business relationship with China, that’s for sure. I know this guy who has been shouting this to anyone who would listen for a few decades now. Maybe we should elect him President. Oh, wait..,.
He recognized the threat of China and acted upon it.
He should be praised for that.
I hope US manufacturing makes a comeback because it provides decent and meaningful jobs in addition to the security of our ethical drug supply.
He recognized the threat of China and acted upon it.
He should be praised for that.
I have to wonder if, though, given the timing.. talks over a new Trade Deal that China was not keen to accept.. if their lack of response on the virus wasn't a big Fuck You to America.
I have to wonder if, though, given the timing.. talks over a new Trade Deal that China was not keen to accept.. if their lack of response on the virus wasn't a big Fuck You to America.
No, just incompetence with a heavy dose of coverup. More countries are starting to want answers from the ChiComs. They stand to lose more than anyone.
No, just incompetence with a heavy dose of coverup. More countries are starting to want answers from the ChiComs. They stand to lose more than anyone.
the World Community needs to follow up its outrage, and not buckle at the idea prices may go higher when supply lines alter. China has kicked a lot of people around for a long time.
OP has a valid point"
Boycott China as a consumer.
develop a consortium with Europe to develop medication manufacturing - in concert with the major - and minor manufacturers.
Refuse the Conditions China has forced on us - no more giving up trade secrets and keys to the company for manufacturing.
Take back manufacturing - or source to non-China influenced coutnries and facilities.
China has used its "cheap labor' - ie slave labor of its people - as a carrot to bring companies looking to cut costs. It is a terrible choice because of what they do to our countries and businesses.
Time to organize the long term effort to bring our manufacturing and critical business products - such as antibiotics and other medications - back our of China.
China has openly threatened to cut off medications to America.
the World Community needs to follow up its outrage, and not buckle at the idea prices may go higher when supply lines alter. China has kicked a lot of people around for a long time.
Well, at least Trump stared them down. They caved on the tariffs. It was a start. As for the rest of the world, not so much.
the World Community needs to follow up its outrage, and not buckle at the idea prices may go higher when supply lines alter. China has kicked a lot of people around for a long time.
People are going to have to pay higher prices - I'm not convinced they will do so willingly but I hope I'm wrong.
They shouldn't. There are many ways this could be fixed in an instant but our drug companies wouldn't like it.
I'm reminded of a news story I saw 15-20 years ago. The DoD put out a request for large number of routers. The only hitch was they had to be made in the US. You see, China had been putting spyware on Chinese made routers. Some nice foreigner living in the US swore his routers were made in the USA. He made a tidy 1MM profit by swearing they were even though it was obvious they weren't. He fled the country before they could catch him. And he did it more than once.
They shouldn't. There are many ways this could be fixed in an instant but our drug companies wouldn't like it.
I'm reminded of a news story I saw 15-20 years ago. The DoD put out a request for large number of routers. The only hitch was they had to be made in the US. You see, China had been putting spyware on Chinese made routers. Some nice foreigner living in the US swore his routers were made in the USA. He made a tidy 1MM profit by swearing they were even though it was obvious they weren't. He fled the country before they could catch him. And he did it more than once.
um.. that's a bit too far off.
the issue about those spyware chips came out the last 2 years.
i believe it was a well known Taiwanese computer company run by a Taiwanese you mentioned.
I have to wonder if, though, given the timing.. talks over a new Trade Deal that China was not keen to accept.. if their lack of response on the virus wasn't a big Fuck You to America.
by accident or otherwise China got a quadruple bonus plan. the hard way but .. that's life
they stop the Hong Kong protests completely all but overnight without having to resort to deadly force which is where it was going.
they interfere with the US election and they do not want Trump re-elected for that very trade issue.
they soft reset their Gov propped up house of cards economy by putting the world economy in the shitter. the US market dropped about 25-30 percent, China halted most trading and lost only about 10 percent given what i've seen.
and they blame the whole mess in the US.
Brilliant!
Quote:
Originally Posted by bambino
No, just incompetence with a heavy dose of coverup. More countries are starting to want answers from the ChiComs. They stand to lose more than anyone.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chung Tran
the World Community needs to follow up its outrage, and not buckle at the idea prices may go higher when supply lines alter. China has kicked a lot of people around for a long time.
well. a rare cosmic alignment on ECC. we all agree China MUST face consequences over this global fuck up.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dilbert firestorm
um.. that's a bit too far off.
the issue about those spyware chips came out the last 2 years.
i believe it was a well known Taiwanese computer company run by a Taiwanese you mentioned.
Chinese companies have had a known malware risk. this goes back a lot farther than a few years.
China Shouldn’t Make Our Drugs
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