US officials warn of severe mask and drug shortages

After China supply disruptions, India now slaps export controls on antibiotics

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, the U.S. administration's point man on the coronavirus, departs from a briefing on the COVID-19 with U.S. Senate Democrats on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 3. © Reuters

ALEX FANG and MARRIAN ZHOU, Nikkei staff writers

March 4, 2020 09:23 JST

NEW YORK -- As the new coronavirus spreads in the U.S., health officials are warning of resource strains on several fronts, such as having just 10% of the N-95 masks needed by medical professionals in a full-blown outbreak, as well as potential drug shortages.

Following supply chain disruptions in China, India on Tuesday announced export controls on 26 active drug ingredients -- mostly antibiotics -- alarming the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA chief Stephen Hahn told lawmakers at a Senate hearing that the agency is still going through the list to determine how much effect the controls will have on the country's medical supply chain.