Hello John and Doves,
A bit more on the
pharmaceutical impact of the coronavirus.
And I forgot to link the article on 'China as the world's
pharmacy' on "The Pale Horse" letter. Sorry.
Here it is -
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/2018-05-08/trumps-quest-for-lower-drug-prices-may-provoke-china-trade-war-experts-warn
(snip form article)
"Multinational drug companies, many of them headquartered
in the United States, began buying ingredients for critical
drugs in China after the U.S.-China Fair Trade Agreement
passed nearly two decades ago. State-owned Chinese
companies, buoyed by heavy government subsidies, set their
prices so low that they were able to undercut established
manufactures in the U.S. and elsewhere, prompting them to
shut down their plants and move their operations to China,
the authors say." (end snip)
Big examples: Johnson & Johnson opened a new
research and development center in 2009 in Shanghai and
Pfizer moved it's antibiotic research program to
Shanghai. Eli Lilly sold it's regional rights for two
of it's major antibiotics (Vancocin and Ceclor -
broad-spectrum antibiotics) along with a manufacturing
facility to a drugmaker in China.
And now it may be India picking up the slack in drug
manufacturing!
"Coronavirus outbreak: China shutdown to hit Indian drug
manufacturers": "Coronavirus outbreak is likely to
disrupt supplies of drug ingredients for Indian pharma
manufactures, mostly antibiotics and vitamin
makers....Indian drug manufacturers are to a large extent
dependent on China for sourcing their drug ingredients or
the active pharmaceutical ingredients, as the industry words
it. This is largely for drugs like antibiotics -
crucial among them being penicillin G (and other products
based on it such as amoxicillin and ampicillin),
tetracycline - and for vitamins such as vitamin C and
D. All of these are based on drug ingredients
made using the fermentation-based process, an area where
China has achieved global dominance. Now the
coronavirus scare has added a new dimension with an air of
uncertainty around how the supply situation from China
will unfold."
"Currently, the Chinese government has extended the New
Year holidays. They were to be from January 25th till
February 3rd but will now be till around mid-February.
However, if these get further extended then, Indian
drug manufacturers mostly formulation plants, which use the
drug ingredients and make the tables and capsules that we
consume, could get impacted..India today is completely
dependent on China for Penicillin G and this is not just for
meeting the Indian market needs but also for supplies to the
US with drugs based on this ingredient."
"Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus is not really a
major pharmaceutical manufacturing hub, though it has many
units. It is regions like Zhejiang on the East coast
of China, we are told by Indian pharma makers, that have
more pharmaceutical manufacturing activity in China.
However,t he issue now is that the scare has gone beyond
Wuhan and most are on alert. .....China has also taken a
lead in other chemicals-based ingredients to such as those
used to make some cardiovascular drugs or medicines to cater
to heart conditions and for blood vessels such as
cholesterol medications such as statins."
"Two quarantined in Zhejiang for Wuhan coronavirus"
January 20, 2020 So it's in China's eastern province of
Zhejiang - where the most pharmaceutical manufacturing is in
China!
https://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news/section/3/140403/Two-quarantined-in-Zhejiang-for-Wuhan-coronavirus
Two
quarantined in Zhejiang for Wuhan coronavirus | The
Standard
This would be a perfect storm - China gets hit hard with
the coronavirus and has all/most of the antibiotic producing
capabilities...and these get shuttered due to the spread of
the infection. And other important drugs cease being
manufactured.
Don't know if this virus will be one of the 'birth
pangs', but it's off to a good start!
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
Maranatha!
Chance