A Fox News medical contributor blamed China for the ongoing national drug shortage Wednesday, adding that the Food and Drug Administration is “sitting limply by” and not working to address the crisis.
“Don’t think the FDA is actually doing anything about this, they’re sitting limply by. The story begins and ends in China tonight because those lock downs, those ridiculous lock downs, COVID-zero policies, cut off the supply chains,” Dr. Marc Siegel, a clinical professor at NYU Langone Medical Center, told Tucker Carlson. “And we get, according to U.S. census, we get 95% of our imported ibuprofen from China and 74% of our Tylenol and almost all of our antibiotics. So now, what has happened? They relieve the lockdowns and in China, people are scrambling to the pharmacies trying to find Tylenol, trying to find Motrin. We’re not going to get it because they’re hoarding it over there.” (RELATED: US Must Take Back Pharma Production From China)
Siegel noted that part of the problem was a “pharmaceutical culture” around the world, saying that many people sought to use medication to feel like they were doing something to treat a sick child. Canadians have reportedly been coming to the United States to find Tylenol and ibuprofen due to shortages in their country.
Doctors have reported an inability to find medications usually used to treat asthma or the flu, forcing them to look to alternative medicines, Fox Business reported Friday, noting that the FDA listed over 180 drug shortages. Many basic ingredients for drugs come from China, causing production issues.
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“I know what you think about pharmaceuticals and I agree with you, Tucker. We’re a pill-popping culture, and so here’s what happens. A parent goes to the pharmacy, they can’t get a Tylenol,” Siegel said. “Kid has a fever, they rush him to the emergency room unnecessarily, and that’s what you’ve been talking about for a long time now.”
“But look where this is coming from. Supply chain problems from China, China the same country, Tucker, that exports the influenza virus that we see every year,” Siegel continued. “Exported Covid to us. Now, we can’t go to them for the pills we need to treat the common cold or the antibiotics we need. The problem starts and begins with China, Tucker.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre addressed reports of a shortage during Wednesday’s White House press briefing.
“Medicine shortages are — are not uncommon and is closely monitored and led by FDA and HHS, who are experts on this,” Jean-Pierre said, noting that while the government was unable to “force a manufacturer to make more” medicines, they were communicating with pharmaceutical manufacturers.
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