The Essential Medicines Strategic Stockpile Act of 2020, introduced last week by U.S. Reps. Early Cater (R-GA) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) would create an essential medicines strategic stockpile and reduce supply chain reliance on foreign nations.
“At the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic, we quickly realized how reliant our medical supply chain is on foreign countries like China and India,” Carter said. “This reliance creates both public health and security risks for the American people. For example, as the COVID-19 virus spread around the world earlier this year, India withheld 26 essential drugs from exportation, vastly limiting supply and access to other countries. Americans should not have to rely on other countries for access to the most basic medicines like acetaminophen, penicillin, and amoxicillin.”
The legislation would establish a three-year pilot program built on public-private partnerships. These partnerships would help stockpile 50 generic medications most at risk of shortages and essential during public health emergencies. A list of these products will be developed by the Department of Health and Human Services, whom distributors could contract with to stockpile within their own supply chains.
“As we’ve seen throughout the pandemic, one of our greatest public health challenges is ensuring that patients have reliable access to essential generic medicines,” Blunt Rochester said.
If approved, the legislation would also require any contractors to continuously cycle additional products through their supply chain to avoid expiration. A six month supply of medications would have to be maintained at all times for federal access.