**Critical Medical Supplies Caught in Port Strike Crossfire**
A looming port strike along the East Coast and Gulf Coast is threatening to disrupt the delivery of critical medical devices and drug components, including those used in popular weight-loss and diabetes medications. Customs data reveals that companies like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, manufacturers of Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound, rely heavily on East Coast ports for incoming trade.
According to ImportGenius, Novo Nordisk has imported over 400 containers of pharmaceuticals through the Port of Norfolk in the past year, including filled-injection devices containing semaglutide, a key compound in their branded weight-loss drugs. Meanwhile, Eli Lilly imports active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) from Swiss manufacturer Corden Pharma to produce tirzepatide for their branded drug.
The potential strike could impact the importation and distribution of these medications, leading to supply chain disruptions, increased shipping costs, inventory shortages of APIs, and production delays. The risk to medical supplies is being closely monitored by the Biden administration and state governments, with the Department of Health and Human Services meeting with trade associations, distributors, manufacturers, and other stakeholders to assess vulnerabilities and supply chain impacts.
The East Coast ports are also a critical gateway for generic medicines made in India, compounding the problem for the healthcare industry supply chain. The situation is further complicated by the ripple effects of Hurricane Helene, which damaged a key facility in North Carolina that supplies 60% of the US market with IV fluids, including hospitals.
Governor Kathy Hochul of New York has assured that the state is working around the clock to ensure essential products reach grocery stores and medical facilities. However, experts warn that the strike could lead to severe delays, reroutes, and greater uncertainties on the delivery of essential products at countless US ports, potentially impacting elective surgeries and patient care.
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