U.S. drug shortages stem from weak regulation, not China competition, says expert

In 2025 the United States faced 216 active drug shortages, limiting access to lifesaving medicines for patients.

While the White House and national‑security officials have framed the problem as a geopolitical rivalry with China, the author argues that this focus distracts from the true cause: insufficient regulatory oversight of a profit‑driven industry.

China does dominate many stages of pharmaceutical production, from raw ingredients to finished products, but the risk lies in lax U.S. regulations rather than any deliberate withholding by Beijing.

The piece calls for stronger, more consistent regulation to improve supply‑chain resilience and protect American health.