WASHINGTON, DC
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
The Senate Health, (click title to entry - thank you) Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee is examining the globalization of the pharmaceutical drug market and supply chain. According to a new report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released today, up to 80% of the chemicals and ingredients of prescription drugs are made outside the United States....
Not only are 80% of the ingredients of USA pharmaceuticals produced overseas, but, 40% of all prescription drugs are produced overseas.
Additionally, it take the FDA 9 years to inspect all the global facilities that contribute to the supply chain for USA pharmaceuticals while they routinely rotate through US facilities at least every two years and more frequently if necessary.
China has no regulations and their facilities are substandard to US specifications and the drug supply is being contaminated with substances such as anti-freeze instead of glycerin by plants with rusty pipes and broken windows.
The US Senate Committee is trying to grapple with the enormous task of laying blame for contamination by placing a bar code on a product as it changes hands through global brokers while making its way to the USA manufacturer market place. Deaths have occurred globally due to this problem, including contaminated heparin from China in 2007 and a cough syrup sent to South America resulting in 67 deaths of which most were children.
The entire issue surrounding the medication supply chain is out of control. There is no way the USA can insure a safe supply chain with foods and drugs coming from third world countries. To think there should be FDA inspectors all over the globe to do the job that the country's infrastructure is suppose to do is hideous to say the least. The security of our medication chain has to begin and end at our borders by returning manufacturing of these vital ingredients to the USA and to supply inspectors at the place where the drugs manufactured in the USA are produced. It is an issue of sovereignty as well as Homeland Security. This is a hideous subject and it only goes to prove how far afield the products purchased by US consumers has become.
This is the link to the video.
Allan Coukell, Pew Health Group, Medical Programs Director, in his testimony before this committee shows a picture of a substandard facility in China. We don't have to put up with this, we have to be willing to produce our own ingredients when they don't come from Europe. This is some of the hideous stuff I have ever heard. To think that Pharma actually expects the USA government to place a global inspection process in place is outrageous. We need to rethink our involvement with China and other third world countries when it comes to food products, including that for our pets and livestock and our medication supply. I can't believe how far this has gone "W"rong all in the name of profits.
The chemical formula in the picture is melamine.
Mr. Coukell also appeared on the "Washington Journal" in an interview about his testimony.
Allan Coukell, Pew Health Group, (click here for video link) Medical Programs Director, discusses the oversight of the pharmaceutical industry, as well as the risk that foreign components present to individuals in the U.S. The GAO recently released a report looking at the makeup of prescription drugs, finding that up to 80% of the chemicals and ingredients in the drugs were made outside the U.S.
It will take a while to get this boat turned around, but, if we complain enough it will get turned around. I've enough of being the global police and this is just another expenditure we should not have to endure. This is outrageous. How did it ever get this bad?
If products produced in foreign countries cannot measure up to USA standards then we don't import anything!
This is India's problem and China's problem, not mine!
Let "Pharma" pay for it, then we'll see how quick it all ends.
There is even a nice new patent law so Pharma can enjoy profiteering longer.
Summary of new patent bill (America Invents Act) (click here)
Chris Dixon, CDixon.org.
Sep. 16, 2011, 7:21 PM
The entire issue surrounding the medication supply chain is out of control. There is no way the USA can insure a safe supply chain with foods and drugs coming from third world countries. To think there should be FDA inspectors all over the globe to do the job that the country's infrastructure is suppose to do is hideous to say the least. The security of our medication chain has to begin and end at our borders by returning manufacturing of these vital ingredients to the USA and to supply inspectors at the place where the drugs manufactured in the USA are produced. It is an issue of sovereignty as well as Homeland Security. This is a hideous subject and it only goes to prove how far afield the products purchased by US consumers has become.
This is the link to the video.
Committee Examines Foreign-made Pharmaceuticals (click here for video of hearing)
Watch it! It will make you sick. It made me sick.
The chemical formula in the picture is melamine.
Mr. Coukell also appeared on the "Washington Journal" in an interview about his testimony.
Allan Coukell, Pew Health Group, (click here for video link) Medical Programs Director, discusses the oversight of the pharmaceutical industry, as well as the risk that foreign components present to individuals in the U.S. The GAO recently released a report looking at the makeup of prescription drugs, finding that up to 80% of the chemicals and ingredients in the drugs were made outside the U.S.
It will take a while to get this boat turned around, but, if we complain enough it will get turned around. I've enough of being the global police and this is just another expenditure we should not have to endure. This is outrageous. How did it ever get this bad?
If products produced in foreign countries cannot measure up to USA standards then we don't import anything!
This is India's problem and China's problem, not mine!
Let "Pharma" pay for it, then we'll see how quick it all ends.
There is even a nice new patent law so Pharma can enjoy profiteering longer.
Summary of new patent bill (America Invents Act) (click here)
Chris Dixon, CDixon.org.
Sep. 16, 2011, 7:21 PM
REVISIONS TO UNITED STATES PATENT LAW
As you may be aware, the Senate passed the America Invents Act (AIA) on September 8, 2011. This act will create sweeping changes in US patent law once signed by President Obama, who has stated his intention to sign this bill.
As you may be aware, the Senate passed the America Invents Act (AIA) on September 8, 2011. This act will create sweeping changes in US patent law once signed by President Obama, who has stated his intention to sign this bill.
The AIA will create significant changes to the law, and we wanted to take a moment to inform you of some of its most important provisions....
