Bipartisan Senate bill aims to bolster drug supply chain by prioritizing U.S. manufacturing
The legislation, first shared with NBC News, follows a report that found more than 295 medications, including life-saving treatments, are in short supply nationwide.
WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of senators aims to strengthen the pharmaceutical supply chain with a bill that focuses on boosting stockpiles through increased drug manufacturing in the U.S. and allied countries.
The legislation, introduced Thursday and first shared with NBC News, was drafted in response to a report published in March that found more than 295 medications, including lifesaving treatments, are in short supply nationwide.
The bill seeks to increase the stock of medications by requiring the Department of Health and Human Services to award contracts for generic drug manufacturing to U.S.-based companies or members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Contract recipients would be required to bolster production capacity and maintain sufficient drug reserves.
“Active drug shortages are at their worst in nearly a decade and present serious health and national security concerns,” said Gary Peters, D-Mich., the chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and a sponsor of the legislation, known as the RAPID Reserve Act.
Peters said in a statement that the “bill would help ensure the U.S. is better prepared for future health threats and Americans can always access essential medications.”
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