US: An important lawmaker warned that American families would be at danger from the medications in their homes due to the country’s huge reliance on foreign-made generic pharmaceuticals, many of which are produced from China and India.

Senate Special Committee on Ageing Chairman Rick Scott said on Wednesday (local time) that the nation’s increasing dependence on foreign production of generic medications and their essential ingredients raises significant national security and public health issues, especially for the elderly and other vulnerable groups.

Scott announced a fresh effort by the committee to draw attention to what he characterized as systemic flaws in the US pharmaceutical supply chain, saying, “Every American who relies on foreign-manufactured generic drugs deserves to know the risks in their medicine cabinet.”

Through a number of investigations, hearings, and outreach to government agencies and business leaders, Scott has been collaborating with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the ranking member of the committee.

Scott claims that around 80% of the active pharmaceutical chemicals included in generic medications used in the US are imported. He said that some of these goods have been connected to major health issues and that many are produced “in unsafe, unsanitary conditions in facilities that are far too infrequently inspected.”

According to Scott, relying on foreign suppliers also poses a strategic weakness. “These drugs can pose serious health risks to you, with some instances linked to injury or death.”

“The Chinese Communist Party could cut off the supply at any time, leaving our seniors, military personnel, and every American without the medicines they need, making America’s reliance on foreign-made generic drugs not only a public health threat but also a national security risk.”

“The FDA still performs far fewer inspections of foreign manufacturers’ facilities than it does in the United States, even though more unannounced inspections are being done.” He said that the FDA even waives violations for foreign manufacturers in order to prevent supply chain disruption. “This needs to change immediately because it poses a threat to both our personal safety and national security.”

The committee’s investigation report presents a clear picture of dwindling domestic output. It discovered that, in 2024, the United States produced just 37% of the medications it used, a significant decrease from 83% in 2002. According to the research, China alone is responsible for 95% of US imports of ibuprofen, 70% of acetaminophen, and over 45% of penicillin.

The concentration of manufacturing of active medicinal ingredients worldwide was also emphasized in the paper. Approximately 90% of APIs used in antibiotics globally come from China, and 83% of the top 100 generic medications used by Americans do not have an API source in the United States.

India also plays a significant role in the supply chain. According to the research, they mainly depend on China for around 80% of the APIs they use, even though Indian manufacturers offer about 50% of all generic medications used in the US.

According to a 2025 research that the committee quoted, the incidence of significant side effects associated with generic medications produced in India was 54% greater than those of comparable medications made in the US. Hospitalization, disability, or death were considered adverse events in the research.

Scott demanded immediate changes to rebuild public confidence in the pharmaceutical industry, stating that Americans shouldn’t have to “roll the dice with the safety, supply, or availability of their medicine.”

The committee’s report recommends a number of remedies, including creating a federal buyer’s market for essential medications that gives preference to American-made goods, mapping the supply chains of generic drugs, mandating disclosure of the country of origin, utilizing trade tools like Section 232 investigations, addressing loopholes that permit foreign goods to be labeled as “Made in America,” and increasing support for US biotechnology.

In recent years, Washington has been more concerned about pharmaceutical supply chains, especially after the COVID-19 epidemic revealed flaws in international logistics and production. Since then, lawmakers from both parties have expressed concern about an excessive dependence on foreign manufacturing for essential medications.

China and India continue to be major participants in the global generic drug business, providing reasonably priced medications to markets all over the globe, including the US.