Where do you think we actually get most of our drugs/medication from?

I asked grok...

For Most Prescriptions (Generics and APIs)

About 90% of US prescriptions are for generic drugs, which are far more common in daily use than expensive branded ones. Here the picture shifts heavily overseas:

India is the dominant supplier of finished generic drugs, providing roughly 40–50% (or more) of generic prescriptions filled in the US. It excels in cost-effective manufacturing of tablets, capsules, etc.

China is critical for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) — the raw chemical "building blocks" of drugs. While direct finished-drug imports from China are lower by value, China supplies a large share of APIs (estimates vary, but often 13%+ of facilities or higher indirect exposure). India itself relies on China for ~70% of its APIs.

This means a huge portion of everyday generics ultimately trace back to India and/or China for ingredients or final formulation. The US produces a significant share domestically (especially for some branded drugs and certain finished doses), with Europe also important for quality APIs, but supply chains are globalized.

By Import Value (Finished Pharmaceuticals)

In recent years (2024–2025 data), the top sources of US pharmaceutical imports by dollar value are primarily European countries and a few others, due to high-value branded/patented drugs:

Ireland (often the largest, ~20–24%): $42–50 billion — Major hub for pharma manufacturing (e.g., many big companies have facilities there).

Germany (~12%): $17–26 billion.

Switzerland (~9%): $19 billion.

India (~6–7%): $12–15 billion.

Others: Singapore, Belgium, etc.

Total US pharma imports are in the $200+ billion range annually. Many "US-made" branded drugs are actually finished or have significant operations in Europe.