Update on China's Fake Drugs
Fake cancer drugs have been found in clinics from California to Illinois. They probably were made in Communist China and traded by various Middle Eastern and European traders.
Described as an even greater danger is that some Chinese made drugs that are legally imported into the U.S. simply do not work. More ingredients for important drugs are being imported every year -- it's now 80%, and there are increasing concerns about their quality.
Most drugs are made by various overseas firms and traded by intermediaries in numerous countries before they are formulated into the finished U.S. product, so it is very difficult to trace the origin of any problems. The U.S. imports over a billion dollars of Chinese chemicals every year. Pharmaceutical experts admit that at least a fourth of ingredients bought by Western companies come from unknown sources. Quality testing by U.S. companies provides some protection, but we can't adequately inspect what is made in China. The worst imported drug problem was the 2007 scandal when Chinese made Heparin killed 149 Americans.
National Review Online, 4-19-12
Update on China's Other Faulty Products
Thousands of homeowners in 38 states have been searching for alternate housing because of worries about drywall in their homes that emits sulfur fumes and makes them sick. The contaminated drywall, which was made in China, contains a higher level of sulfur than U.S. drywall, and the hydrogen sulfide gas it emits corrodes metal and ruins air-conditioners and other electronic equipment and wiring. Injured homeowners were not successful in suing Chinese manufacturers, although the German company Knauf contributed $1 billion to a settlement fund.
The U.S. is importing about $5 billion in food from China annually. Aquaculture products account for 41%. About 80% of the frozen tilapia in the U.S. is imported from China, with restaurants and supermarkets the biggest buyers. The U.S. Agriculture Department's Economic Research Service questions Chinese safety standards for fish and seafood. Fish are often raised in ponds where they feed on waste from poultry and livestock, the report said. Costco won't buy tilapia raised on Chinese farms because of concerns about production standards.
Bloomberg Businessweek, 10-21-10
Update on China's Control of Rare Minerals
Rare minerals are essential components in high technology such as hybrid cars, iPods and solar panels. The United States has 15 of needed rare earth minerals, worth more than $6 trillion, including terbium, yttrium and dysprosium. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. has 13 million tons of known deposits of rare earth elements located in 14 states. However, efforts to mine these U.S. minerals are being stalled by Obama Administration bureaucrats. The president of the National Mining Assn. said at a House hearing that it often takes 10 years to get a mining permit.
This means the U.S. is heavily dependent on Communist China for critical materials that are the building blocks of our economy and needed for development of our energy resources. These rare minerals are essential to products such as portable X-ray machines, fluorescent lamps, clocks, and energy-efficient light bulbs. In addition to the threat to national security, the delays in approving mining permits also cost us well-paying jobs that are instead being filled overseas.
Human Events, 5-7-12
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