Letter to the editor: Medicines as bullets

Benjamin Franklin once said: “For the want of a nail the shoe was lost, for the want of a shoe the horse was lost, for the want of a horse the rider was lost, for the want of a rider the battle was lost, for the want of a battle the kingdom was lost, and all for the want of a horseshoe-nail.”

In 2000, President Bill Clinton said that granting China permanent normal trade relations, which allowed China to gain entry into the World Trade Organization, would be a great deal for America. Administrations of both parties over the years have allowed China to go unchecked, and China has taken full advantage at the expense of the American public.

The Food and Drug Administration estimates that 80% of our drugs come from China or India. China has exclusive manufacturing agreements for anesthesia, cancer and HIV/AIDS drugs, and other medicines we use every day — some of which have been known to be contaminated. During one 13-month period, the FDA recalled more than 50 blood pressure medications made in China because the active ingredient, valsartan was contaminated with jet fuel.

Food has been used as a weapon of war, and medicines could be used the same way. It won’t be for the lack of a bullet that a war with China would be lost. It would be for a lack of antibiotics and medicines for our troops.

Ed Liberatore

Turtle Creek