Rep. Angie Craig Leads Bipartisan Effort to Address Critical Medication Shortages and Reduce American Reliance on China
Currently, only 20% of pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities are located in the United States
In 2022, the U.S. experienced a shortage of 295 medications – including life-saving chemotherapy drugs
WASHINGTON, DC – Today,U.S. Representatives Angie Craig (D-MN), Jefferson Van Drew (R- NJ) and Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen domestic medication supply chains and reduce American reliance on China for critical medications.
Currently, nearly 80% of the manufacturing facilities that produce critical pharmaceutical ingredients are located outside the United States.
Rep. Craig’s 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.
“Manufacturing critical medications and pharmaceutical ingredients here in America will strengthen our domestic supply chains, create good-paying jobs and most importantly, get life-saving medications into the hands of those who need them,” said Rep. Craig. “Manufacturing medications here at home instead of other countries like China is a no-brainer – and that’s why I’m teaming up with Reps. Spanberger and Van Drew on this bipartisan effort.”
“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 Rep. 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 Senate companion to the RAPID Reserve Act was introduced in the Senate by Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) earlier this year.
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.
Full bill text can be found here.
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