Spanberger Leads Bipartisan Effort to Address Critical Medication Shortages, Reduce American Reliance on China

Nearly 80 Percent of Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Facilities Are Currently Located Outside of the United States

The “RAPID Reserve Act” Would Incentivize American-Based Manufacturers to Increase Reserves of Critical Pharmaceutical Ingredients

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07), Angie Craig (D-MN-02), and Jefferson Van Drew (R-NJ-02) yesterday introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen domestic medication supply chains and reduce the United States’ reliance on China for critical medications.

Currently, nearly 80 percent of the manufacturing facilities that produce critical pharmaceutical ingredients are located outside the United States. The bipartisan RAPID Reserve Act would encourage the domestic production of critical medications and incentivize American-based manufacturers to increase their reserves of these medications to prepare for future public health threats and supply chain challenges.

“Americans should not have to rely on foreign adversaries for key medications or pharmaceutical ingredients — especially when homegrown manufacturers operate across our Commonwealth and our country,” said Spanberger. “With drug shortages on the rise, the United States’ reliance on the Chinese Communist Party poses both national security and health threats — as we saw during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. This bipartisan legislation would address vulnerabilities in our supply chain to boost domestic production, improve Americans’ access to essential medications, and make sure that manufacturers can build and maintain reserves of critical medications and their key ingredients.”

The bipartisan RAPID Reserve Act is supported by numerous leading health organizations — including the American Hospital Association, American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, CivicaRx, Healthcare Distribution Alliance, Phlow, and Securing America’s Medicines and Supply Coalition.

The U.S. Senate companion to the RAPID Reserve Act was introduced earlier this year in the U.S. Senate by U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH).

Click here for the bill text.   

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