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riversedge

(70,205 posts) Sat Sep 30, 2017, 01:27 PM Sep 2017

Closed Puerto Rico factories are the sole source of some critical drugs

Closed Puerto Rico factories are the sole source of some critical drugs

http://money.cnn.com/2017/09/29/news/companies/puerto-rico-drug-makers/index.html
by Chris Isidore, Tal Kopan & Julia Horowitz @CNNMoney September 29, 2017: 4:09 PM ET
Relief supplies stuck at Puerto Rico port
The Food and Drug Administration is worried that there could be shortages of some critical drugs normally produced in Puerto Rico if manufacturing plants there are closed for an extended period of time.

Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the commissioner of the FDA since May, arrived on Puerto Rico Friday to survey the situation and talk with pharmaceutical executives on the island. He said his agency has a list of about 40 drugs that it's concerned could be in short supply, 13 of which are made only in Puerto Rico.

"These are critical medicines. These are not drugs for which there are therapeutic substitutes," he told reporters on the flight to Puerto Rico Friday.

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There are about 50 pharmaceutical plants on the island and about 30 that make medical devices. The industry has about 90,000 jobs there, and accounts for about 75% of the goods shipped off the island. Most major pharmaceutical companies have some kind of manufacturing presence on the island, including Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY), Eli Lilly (LLY) and Amgen (AMGN).

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Bristol-Myers, Lilly and Amgen all told CNNMoney that they have adequate product inventory and there are not currently any shortages for their customers. They all said their major concern is the welfare of their Puerto Rican employees.

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Another challenge to keeping the factories running: Many employees haven't been able to return to work since Hurricane Maria hit nine days ago.

"People are still taking care of their families," Gottleib said.