FDA halts 'most' foreign inspections amid coronavirus outbreak

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday the suspension of "most foreign inspections" through April due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The administration previously halted inspections in China due to the coronavirus, but now will exclude India, the world's leading manufacturer of generic drugs, per The New York Times.

So far, only one drug is in short supply in the U.S. in relation to COVID-19, but it's unclear which one, reports the Council on Foreign Relations. The FDA is monitoring 20 other drugs, sourced from China, though no shortages have been reported and they are considered non-critical.

U.S. companies rely heavily on imported drug products from India and China, per CFR. In 2019, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) noted "80 percent of active pharmaceutical ingredients are produced abroad, the majority in China and India."

The FDA is responsible for safety of food, cosmetics, dietary supplements, and tobacco products, among other items. "Inspections outside the U.S. deemed mission-critical will still be considered on a case-by-case basis," according to the FDA.