[By Guancha Observer Network, Ruan Jiaqi]

A report published by US media The Washington Post on the 12th noticed that the negative impact of US irrational tariff increases on China has quietly spread to the bedside of Americans.

66-year-old Wanda Crowell (Wanda Crowell) lies in the bed of Johns Hopkins Hospital. Due to a history of thrombosis, in order to prevent fatal blood clots from forming in the central venous catheter implanted in her body, she needs to inject an essential anticoagulant - heparin - every day.

According to US media reports, heparin is affordable but indispensable, mainly used in surgeries, dialysis, and maintenance of venous catheters, playing a crucial role in the treatment of millions of hospitalized patients.

The key active ingredient in heparin comes from Chinese pharmaceutical factories thousands of miles away. However, this supply chain from China to the bedside of American patients is under a "death" threat due to Trump's absurd tariff policies.

For patients like Crowell, the situation is particularly tricky, as there are no suitable alternative treatment options. Other patients may have choices, but Crowell, due to cancer treatment, has been unable to eat solid food since 2021. Unable to use oral medications, she can only rely on heparin injections to maintain her health.

Talking about the potential shortage or even "supply disruption" caused by tariffs, Crowell's pharmacist expressed concern, "This drug is vital to her life," and if there is a shortage, the only catheter implanted in Crowell's body for providing nutrition is very likely to be blocked by a blood clot.

This elderly woman who has twice overcome cancer will be innocently affected by the US government's wrong policies and inevitably face life-or-death tests again.

Wanda Crowell cannot eat solid food and relies on a catheter to deliver nutrition. The Washington Post

According to The Washington Post, the American Society of Hematology estimates that 12 million hospitalized patients use heparin annually. According to David Stimler, head of pharmaceutical procurement at the Johns Hopkins Medical Group, the average price of a 1 ml injection of heparin is 70 cents (approximately 5.1 RMB).

Heparin is mainly extracted from the mucosa of pig intestines. Thanks to a large pig population and well-developed processing infrastructure, China dominates the global heparin raw material market. Although India and Spain produce necessary raw materials, trade experts say that China's production scale, cost-effectiveness, and efficient system make it the preferred source.

According to data from the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Medicines and Health Products, in 2024, our country's main export markets for heparin were Hong Kong, China, India, the United States, Italy, etc., with the top five export markets accounting for nearly two-thirds.

In previous Sino-US trade frictions, medicines and medical devices were usually listed as exemptions. Most drugs, including biologics and various active pharmaceutical ingredients, were included in the exemption list announced earlier by former US President Trump.

However, in his speech on Tuesday, the capricious one again warned that he was considering targeting various types of drugs, whose active ingredients are mainly from China and India.

Given the unpredictability of the Trump administration, no one knows how exaggerated the upcoming tariff rates will be or how severe their impact on drugs like heparin will be. Health experts warn that these impacts may soon become apparent. Tariffs could disrupt the pharmaceutical supply chain, drive up the cost of generic drugs, and place additional pressure on America's already overburdened healthcare system.

US media reported that the domestic heparin supply chain in the US cannot meet its domestic demand. Establishing a self-sufficient supply system requires significant investment in processing infrastructure, reliable animal tissue sources, and regulatory support. Until then, the US will still depend on international suppliers to meet most of its heparin needs.

This also means that if China restricts drug exports as part of its countermeasures, "the US will face serious problems."

Mark R. Kennedy, director of the Washington think tank Warburg Strategic Competition Institute, frankly stated, "China has us by the throat in many (drug active ingredient supplies). From a geopolitical perspective, we are overly dependent on China. Indeed, this allows us to enjoy lower prices, but risks increase as well."

"If the current supply of heparin active ingredients runs out, we may see a drug shortage situation within a few months," added Prashant Yadav, senior global health researcher at the Council on Foreign Relations. Even if US manufacturers stockpile raw materials in advance, they can only temporarily avoid shortages.

In addition, tariffs will inevitably lead to an increase in the price of heparin raw materials from China, but due to relevant legal regulations, US manufacturers cannot simply offset this extra cost by raising prices to pass on the tariff burden to buyers, which limits their ability to reduce costs. This may also lead some manufacturers to cut corners.

"Given the FDA's budget cuts, this makes me concerned about the quality of drugs," said Marta Wosinska, a health economist at the Brookings Institution. "Some manufacturers may completely exit the market."

Justin Schneider, vice president of strategic procurement at Premier, the largest hospital group procurement agency and medical supply purchaser in the US, also pointed out that low-margin drug producers are more vulnerable to supply disruptions, especially those produced domestically in the US rather than in countries like China where labor costs are lower.

This, for patients, is nothing short of adding insult to injury. Trauma surgeon Elliott Haut expressed concern, "If these drugs suddenly rise in price, who will pay for them? Without these drugs, my patients simply cannot survive."

Of course, there are alternatives to heparin treatment, but health economists and pharmacists are more concerned that forced substitution due to supply shortages may bring other problems.

Other commonly used anticoagulants, such as warfarin, take longer to reach appropriate concentrations in the blood and require frequent blood tests, making them less effective. Heparin, on the other hand, works quickly, and its adverse effects and abnormal reactions can be easily reversed.

Heparin can also be extracted from the lungs and intestinal mucosa of cows. However, due to concerns about mad cow disease, this method was gradually phased out in the US in the late 1990s. US pharmaceutical companies prefer using pig heparin, which has rich clinical experience and is easier to control in quality.

The media mentioned that in January before the Trump administration took office, the FDA called for the reintroduction of bovine heparin to diversify drug sources. However, it is unclear whether this move has received widespread support from the medical community and how quickly a new supply chain can be established.

David Stimler, head of pharmaceutical procurement at the Johns Hopkins Medical Group, candidly admitted that while pharmacists can prepare traditional porcine heparin intravenous bags in emergencies, commercially produced products certainly have longer shelf lives and higher production efficiency.

Therefore, he clearly stated that even if the price of heparin rises slightly, hospitals will still purchase pre-made heparin vials and intravenous infusion supplies.

Elliott Haut, a doctor from the same hospital, reiterated the importance of this drug for American patients, "Among hospitalized patients, the percentage of those taking antibiotics may only be a few percent, but at least 50% to 70% of patients will be prescribed heparin or related drugs to prevent thrombosis."

"This is the primary way tens of thousands of Americans receive treatment every day," he added.

This article is an exclusive article of the Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7492303313459773979/

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