Interesting article here in the Miami Herald about how China now makes so much of our pharmaceutical drugs and machines.
Puerto Rico (America) was a mass producer of all of these products until the late 1990's when their beneficial financial treatment was phased out over a 10 year period. A bi-partisan agreement was reached between a Republican House, a Republican Senate and signed by Democrat Bill Clinton.
By 2008, there was no longer an incentive for companies to manufacture here in the US (ok, PR is a US Territory) and due to the almighty dollar, moved the manufacturing to China where is was less expensive and regulations were lower if existent at all. Basically, PR went into a recession and has not really come out of it since (true, the hurricane screwed things up too).
In any case, manufacturing that was under FDA and EPA regulations was moved to some place behind a chicken market in China.
Thank you politicians and big pharma, thank you.
Rub a Dub