Drug shortages are becoming commonplace in the U.S. Data from a new pharmaceutical industry tracking firm, Qyobo, shows hundreds of drugs are still in short supply – some well over a year — and our dependence on imports grows, including from labs on the receiving end of lackluster FDA inspections.
The United States is facing an unprecedented drug shortage, with a record 323 active drug shortages at the start of 2024 — the highest number since 2001.
The foreign labs in China and India that make the branded drugs for CVS pharmacies nationwide are coming under increased scrutiny for unsafe manufacturing practices.
When drugs are pulled from pharmacy shelves, it’s somewhat of a well-kept secret that it is the pharmaceutical company that voluntarily warns buyers of the potential harm from the defect.
Generic drug exporter Zydus Lifesciences received poor marks again in April following a Food and Drug Administration inspection of its lab in Vadodara, a city in Gujarat state on India’s western coast.
USTR Katherine Tai sat for a two hours-plus hearing with the House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday to discuss trade matters and was met early on by some staunch criticism.
KEY POINTS U.S. pharmaceutical imports have risen sharply in the last decade, with imports from China and India skyrocketing. India and China are increasingly the
America’s largest generic drug supplier, Aurobindo, is riddled with safety and quality issues, including ties to overseas suppliers with links to China’s military.
The expert witness testimony made it clear that U.S. labs were treated differently than foreign ones, and despite increases in hiring at the FDA over the years, lawmakers have a lot to be concerned about when it comes to the FDA conducting proper oversight of foreign manufacturing facilities.
According to expert testimony given by the witnesses, the crisis is being fueled by poor manufacturing practices that have led to recalls by foreign drug manufacturers, and the race to the bottom on generic drug prices that make it impossible for American generic drug makers to compete with subsidized competitors in India and China.
