The coronavirus exposed the US' reliance on India for generic drugs. But that supply chain is ultimately controlled by China

Sarah Thebarge, a 41-year-old physician assistant living in San Francisco, takes a pill every day to treat her lupus, a chronic condition that causes unbearable joint pain, fatigue and fainting spells.
The medicine she takes is hydroxychloroquine or HCQ.

But in March, HCQ, which is also used to treat malaria, suddenly became harder to get after US President Donald Trump touted the drug as a possible treatment for Covid-19.  As people started hoarding it, India -- which reportedly makes 70% of the world's supply of HCQ -- quickly halted exports to secure its own supplies. "When the hoarding started, my 30-day supply was in back order," said Thebarge. "The scenario really scared me, what would happen to me if I couldn't get HCQ?"

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