Hurricane Maria has devastated Puerto Rico, and the fate of the region’s robust pharmaceutical manufacturing industry is up in the air. Pharmaceutical manufacturing was the territory’s largest export last year, representing 72% of its total exports. Over $57 billion in pharmaceuticals were sold internationally by the US in 2016, with Puerto Rico serving as the chief exporter, comprising over a quarter of that figure. More than 50 pharmaceutical facilities that manufacture many of the top-selling drugs in the world are registered in Puerto Rico.

Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Maria, it is unclear if and when the region’s pharmaceutical manufacturing will resume operations. The major concern for the industry is less the lack of power supply on the island, and more the devastation that the people who work at the facilities are facing. The residents are focused on basic needs, such as acquiring food and water for themselves and their families, and it is unknown when they will be able to re-staff the drug facilities. In the meantime, pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer, AbbVie and Johnson & Johnson have supplies of finished products, and do not predict any patient impact in the near future.

Source: Chemistry World