With the emerging virus Corona spreading rapidly around the world, the international community is scrambling to keep up with the threat. Scientists are rushing to develop a vaccine, policymakers are discussing more effective containment methods, and healthcare systems are struggling to accommodate the growing number of patients and the dead. Although this may sound like a scene from the 2011 infection movie, it really is.
In a joint report on the Australian "The Conference" website, writers Christine Crudo Blackburn, Andrew Natsios, Gerald Parker and Leslie Roel said that in the midst of all this panic, another potential crisis is sweeping the globe in the darkness of the global dependence on China to produce medicines and medical equipment.
The authors note that they represent a multidisciplinary group of scientists and policymakers at the Scoproft Center's Epidemiology and Biosecurity Policy Program at the Bush College of Governance at Texas A&M University, and have held annual summit conferences addressing epidemic issues over the past five years. One of the goals is to encourage dialogue about potential risks related to US epidemics and security, in which case disrupting supply chains and an abundance of medical supplies and medicines.
China currently produces about 80% of the drugs sold in the United States, but this number, despite its importance, conceals a larger problem is the fact that China is the largest and global supplier of the active ingredient of some essential medicines.
Effective ingredients
In other words, the active ingredients of medicines that treat breast cancer, lung cancer, and vancomycin antibiotics - the last solution to some types of antimicrobial infection - are made exclusively in China.
In addition, China controls a large portion of the heparin market, an anticoagulant used in open-heart surgery, dialysis and blood transfusion.
The authors noted that China is not only the world's leading supplier of medicines, but also the largest supplier of medical equipment in the United States. This equipment includes MRI machines, surgeon's clothing, and equipment that measures blood oxygen levels. It is worth noting that supplies of these basic products have not been disrupted until now due to the Corona virus, but if China is no longer able to provide these supplies to the United States, thousands of Americans may die.
There are still limited options available to the United States and the rest of the world to make up for this shortfall. It may take years to develop the infrastructure needed to rebuild US manufacturing capabilities and obtain a Food and Drug Administration license to bypass Chinese supply losses.
And when the disease turns into an epidemic, at this point the leaders of countries should commit to protecting their people. With the development of this current crisis, Chinese politicians are likely to face decisions on whether to ban the export of medicines, medical devices and other essential medical components in order to treat or protect their people.
Such actions would be the logical result of the worsening of the current situation. For example, in order to respond to the swine flu pandemic that emerged in 2009, the United States placed at the bottom of the list designated for receiving vaccines despite the existence of contracts with the main manufacturer of the vaccine, which is based in another country, which contributed to the delay in obtaining these vaccines.
Disrupting the pharmaceutical industry
Writers report that while no continued import of active ingredients from China may seem unlikely, the widespread spread of the virus does not exclude this potential possibility. About six weeks after the international recognition of the epidemic in China, there is already a lack of basic personal protective equipment in both China and the United States. Knowing that the United Parcel Service Company "UPS" transferred more than two million medical masks and 11 thousand robe to Wuhan to help alleviate this shortage. But what will happen when ammunition for protection equipment is exhausted?
Wuhan is an important player in China's biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, with many city drug companies based. However, some questions remain, such as: How many factories closed due to the spread of this epidemic? And when will you reopen it again? Global supply chains can reach a crisis stage if they are weakened because Hubei Province, where Wuhan is quarantined, and its factories are closed.
Wuhan is the site of the first Chinese laboratory to meet Biosafety Standards-4 (BSL4), which began operating in 2017 to conduct scientific research on severe acute respiratory syndrome, SARS virus, and other emerging diseases.
Moreover, it is the only laboratory in China that can safely handle the world's most dangerous pathogens, which pose a huge threat of transmission. The risks of infection, death and quarantine in Wuhan and the surrounding Hubei Province have imposed restrictions on all types of trade in the region.
Meanwhile, this virus has created a major disruption in the supply chain within China, which means that medical supply companies will struggle to maintain the products that have been produced inside the country to protect health care workers, laboratory workers and the general public.
On a related matter, a congressional report last year pointed to the weakness or lack of regulatory agencies responsible for making sure that Chinese manufactured medicines that are exported meet the highest safety and quality control standards. The pressure placed on supply chains due to the outbreak is likely to further exacerbate existing quality control challenges. In doing so, the spread of the virus highlighted the United States' reliance on China as a national security issue due to the transfer of manufacturing capabilities overseas and the inability to ensure quality control.
As with all epidemics, the spread of this virus is complex, international cooperation and transparency. At the same time, US public health officials should acknowledge the country's weakness due to its reliance on medicines and medical equipment manufactured in China. Washington should devise a plan to address the inevitable deficit in the near term and take the necessary measures to restore control of the country's medical supply chain. Continuing to ignore this long-known weakness will only lead to an inevitable catastrophe.
Europe is in danger
On Thursday, German Health Minister Jens Young warned that the current Corona virus outbreak could lead to a shortage of medicines in the old continent, as many chemicals used in pharmaceutical products are produced in China.
"Some of the active ingredients of drugs here in Europe come from China in particular, and by chance from Hubei province," said youths before a meeting in Brussels with its union counterparts to discuss an outbreak (Covid-19).
He pointed out that the stoppage of production seen in industries across China could have an unexpected impact on Europe in the long run, noting that shipping containers that deliver pharmaceutical ingredients may take up to four weeks to reach the continent.
He called on the European Commission youths to analyze the situation and come up with proposals to address this issue, and better coordination of testing procedures for detecting the Corona virus among member states.