Community Chat

[wismiss]

Such as 90%-92% of our generic medication is produced in a foreign country.  

Maybe we need to bring back manufacturing jobs to the United States so we aren't dependent upon another country, especially for the manufacture of life-sustaining products.  

We may have to pay more for some products, but in the long run that may be what is best for us as a country.

[Mominohio]

So many of us have said the same for many years. 

There has to be the economic climate for it to happen. Business is about profit. If the climate is right it can happen. But as administrations change so does the climate and that will be the issue, making sure that the climate stays conducive to them (the companies) wanting to bring it all back. 

[hckynut]

@wismiss 

Unfortunately it isn't only medications. While factories closed in our country, many got rich, and they were not part of any company or corporation.

That's all I will say.

hckynut

[Goldengate8361]

OR......maybe it will wake us up and we will all realize that the planet is interdependent and we need to value other nations as allies. We should develop relationships with other nations and quit acting like we are a big island that owns the world. We need each other.

[BrandiDavis]

For those that know more about stuff like this, IS it even possible for us to bring our manufacturing of medications here to the U.S.?

[Dorothy11]

There is no pulling back from the global economy. We can't go back in time, only forward. In a capitalist economy, companies need to make a profit, and that is done by controlling costs, labor being one of the biggest and most controllable. So, if a pharma company, or tech company can pay workers $2/hr in China or Vietnam, they are not going to close those factories and move to the US where they would pay say, $20-25/hr. 

The other thing that has changed in the past couple of decades is the shift from paying workers to rewarding stockholders. This is why the wealth gap is so large. 

[Pook]

To me the most important thing we might learn is that life isn't all about us and we need to be more kind to others.   

[SilleeMee]

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@wismiss wrote:

Such as 90%-92% of our generic medication is produced in a foreign country.  

Maybe we need to bring back manufacturing jobs to the United States so we aren't dependent upon another country, especially for the manufacture of life-sustaining products.  

We may have to pay more for some products, but in the long run that may be what is best for us as a country.

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If that happens then I will be under the bridge. Right now basic things for me cost too much and being on a fixed income makes it difficult to maintain a modest way of life. For instance, I won't be able to stay in my house if can't afford the upkeep. Same goes for owning and maintaining a car. Basic things in life for many middle class people will become too costly and that could lead to bad things.

Bringing back manufacturing won't happen in my lifetime. This county severely lacks the infrastructure for that and it will take a generation to get it up and running.

[goldensrbest]

I would like to see more MADE IN USA,   hope we do this,but doubt it, we need to improve our health care system,in so many ways.

[FrostyBabe1]

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@BrandiDavis wrote:

For those that know more about stuff like this, IS it even possible for us to bring our manufacturing of medications here to the U.S.?

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We DO manufacture medication here in the U.S. 

I spent the bulk of my career in finance for a pharma company and there's a huge manufacturing facility about 3 miles from me. You can always tell when they're making certain drugs just because of the smell.

One of the reasons that manufacturing of drugs went overseas is the same reason that manufacturing of other things did. Cost. It's far cheaper and we want low cost at the cash register.

Due to all of the processes and regulations involved in getting FDA approval of the facilities and manufacturing lines, moving pharma production back to the U.S. would take a very long time, even if we were to re-open existing facilities that are now closed. That won't help our relatively short-term issue today.