Premier Statement on the Introduction of the Preventing Drug Shortages Act

By Blair Childs, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs

The Preventing Drug Shortages Act addresses a blind spot in our healthcare supply chain that is leaving America’s patients vulnerable to shortages of critical, life-saving drugs. Even without an emerging public health threat such as the coronavirus, these susceptibilities are untenable. During disease outbreaks and disasters, however, the inability to understand where vulnerabilities exist in the supply chain means FDA lacks the information to make smart decisions that can avoid or end shortages and save patient’s lives.

The bipartisan Preventing Drug Shortages Act will help close these gaps by requiring manufacturers to disclose where drugs and raw materials are manufactured and to implement risk management plans. This will shed light on the true risk of shortages of essential drugs and medical supplies. By requiring manufacturers of active pharmaceutical ingredients and raw materials to notify the Food and Drug Administration of supply disruptions, the bill will also institute an early warning system allowing upstream visibility to potential shortages that can be actioned proactively.

We applaud Reps. Scott Peters (D-CA), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Kurt Schrader (D-OR), Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Richard Hudson (R-NC), Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) for offering a common-sense, sustainable solution to drug shortages that will equip the nation to more effectively respond to public health emergencies. Premier urges the House to advance the Preventing Drug Shortages Act expeditiously to ensure that vital drugs are available to U.S. patients.