Drugmakers exposed: Uyghur forced labor in pharma supply chains
A recent report from the Center for Advanced Defense Studies reveals that the global pharmaceutical industry still relies on ingredients sourced from Chinese-occupied Eastern Turkistan.
Uyghur forced labor is prevalent in the region which the Chinese government calls Xinjiang.
Even US agencies, including the FDA and USAID, are linked to suppliers there in spite of US laws banning such practices.
The report highlights the oppressive conditions faced by the Uyghurs, including forced drug testing in internment camps.
With 43 licensed pharmaceutical companies in Eastern Turkistan, the region produces critical medications.
With lack of enforcement, many products remain tied to forced labor.
The center is urging US federal agencies to evaluate their procurement practices to ensure compliance with anti-forced labor laws.
Meanwhile, international pressure is mounting on companies benefiting from these abuses.
The US created and implemented the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act in 2021. It bans imports from Xinjiang unless certified as not made with forced labor.
East Turkestan is a minor player in the pharma production industry in China, which is the world’s largest active pharmaceutical ingredient producer and the world’s second-largest drug market.
The report says 76 pharma products exported from China are manufactured only in East Turkestan exposing global supply chains to forced labor.
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