Nearly 700 medicines used in the U.S. to treat common conditions contain at least one chemical sourced only in China<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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FRIDAY, Oct. 17, 2025 (HealthDay News) \u2014 A new analysis reveals how deeply the U.S. drug supply chain depends on China, and experts warn that a trade war could leave American patients at risk.<\/p>\n
Nearly 700 medicines used in the U.S. contain at least one chemical sourced only in China, according to U.S. Pharmacopeia<\/a>, a nonprofit that monitors the drug supply. <\/p>\n Those chemicals are crucial ingredients in drugs that treat common conditions, including heart disease<\/a>, cancer and HIV<\/a>.<\/p>\n The findings were published Wednesday as tensions between Washington and Beijing continue to grow.<\/p>\n “Our hope is that by having better data and more visibility, that can inform targeted interventions into creating resilience and security for patients,\u201d Carrie Harney<\/a>, an official at U.S. Pharmacopeia, told The New York Times<\/em>.<\/p>\n China is the only known source of certain ingredients in antibiotics like amoxicillin<\/a>, as well as generic drugs for seizures, allergies and heart problems. Even the chemical ingredients in Benadryl<\/a>, the popular allergy medication, come from China.<\/p>\n While factories in India, Canada and other countries handle the later stages of production, China dominates the main steps. <\/p>\n Manufacturing these raw materials is considered unprofitable in the U.S. due to higher labor costs and strict environmental rules, while Chinese facilities can produce them at a lower cost, The Times <\/em>reported.<\/p>\n President Donald Trump<\/a> recently proposed a 100% tariff on all products from China, a move that could drive up the cost of medicines that rely on Chinese ingredients.<\/p>\n The administration has said generic drugs won\u2019t face tariffs, but many brand-name pharmaceutical companies are rushing to build or expand domestic plants in response to ongoing pressure to bring manufacturing back to the U.S.<\/p>\n However, experts warn that these new plants won\u2019t solve the core problem. Most are designed to handle later stages of drug production, not the raw chemicals currently coming from overseas. <\/p>\n The multistep process of making medicine often spans several countries: raw materials from China, active ingredients from India and final formulations from other places. That means even drugs that seem globally sourced can still rely on China.<\/p>\n For example, while factories in Jordan, India and Canada make finished amoxicillin, two of its raw materials are made only in China, the report found.<\/p>\n More information<\/strong><\/p>\n PhRMA has more on pharmaceutical manufacturing<\/a>.<\/p>\n