On Tuesday, The 33rd use of the Defense Production Act will provide a $765 million loan to support the launch of Kodak Pharmaceuticals. Kodak will now produce generic active pharmaceutical ingredients, which Trump underlines as being “A big deal”. Using advanced manufacturing techniques, Kodak will also make the key starting materials that are the building blocks for many drugs in a manner that is both cost-competitive and environmentally safe. A move that will rival the competition with China who currently manufactures 80% of base ingredients worldwide.
The United States consumes about 40 percent of the world’s supply of active ingredients needed to make generic drugs, but only produces 10 percent of the ingredients, according to the U.S. International Development Finance Corp.
The Epoch Times reports Trump noted that 90 percent of all prescriptions in the United States are for generic drugs, yet more than 50 percent of the active pharmaceutical ingredients needed to make these generic drugs are made in India and China.
