Rep. Earl “Buddy” Carter, R-Ga., says the coronavirus pandemic is a wake-up call for America’s pharmaceutical independence.
Carter made his comments in a column posted by Fox News on Wednesday.
He said the deadly outbreak has shown “that the pharmaceutical supply chain has shifted in recent decades to predominantly producing a variety of products in Asia, including finished medications and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).”
Carter added: “Many drugs that have been around for decades, such as ibuprofen and penicillin, began production overseas at the expense of domestic production here in the United States. It’s estimated that 90 percent of antibiotics, vitamins and pain relievers – drugs that Americans take every single day – come from China."
“As a pharmacist for more than 30 years and currently the only pharmacist serving in Congress, I know firsthand that we cannot allow this foreign dependence to continue because a disruption in the supply chain or a shortage of drugs could be devastating for everyday Americans – and we are facing that reality today.”
He said it is clear the U.S. has “significant vulnerability when it comes to the production of APIs and other drugs in foreign markets.”
Carter maintained the U.S. needs to determine how it can transition this production back and the country needs to maximize all available outlets.
“President (Donald) Trump has made clear that we need to focus on America first,” he said. “I can think of no more important ‘America first’ mission than achieving pharmaceutical independence,” he said.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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