Trade groups respond to Biden’s executive order on supply chains

The American Pharmacists Association, and the Association for Accessible Medicines commended President Biden for signing the Executive Order on America’s Supply Chains on Wednesday, which includes establishing more resilient and secure supply chains for critical and essential goods, including pharmaceuticals. 

The executive order says that the secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the heads of appropriate agencies, shall submit a report identifying risks in the supply chain for pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients and policy recommendations to address these risks. "The report shall complement the ongoing work to secure the supply chains of critical items needed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, including personal protective equipment.”

APhA said it supports the administration’s efforts to protect our nation’s drug supply and mitigate shortages of both finished drug products and active pharmaceutical ingredients. “Ensuring an adequate drug supply during the COVID-19 public health emergency and beyond will enable pharmacists to continue caring for their patients without disruption,” APhA said.

In January 2021, APhA joined with its partners in the Pharmaceutical Supply and Payment Chain Coalition to urge the Administration to promote resiliency and diversity of the global pharmaceutical supply chain. In addition to the announced 100-day review of the global API supply chain, APhA supports the year-long review of the supply chains for the public health and biological preparedness industrial base, including critical personal protective equipment.

APhA said it welcomes this executive order as an important step in determining the best ways to ensure the security and resiliency of the pharmaceutical and medical supply chains, and stands ready to assist the administration in this important initiative.

AAM said it strongly supports President Biden’s America’s Supply Chains Executive Order as an important step toward strengthening the U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain and improving patient access to lower-cost generic and biosimilar medicines. “The Executive Order is a prudent, considered approach to fully understanding the scope and capacity of current U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturing, while identifying specific vulnerabilities that can be targeted for resolution both immediately with the COVID-19 pandemic and longer-term as the country prepares for future public health challenges," said AAM.

AAM also noted that the U.S. government plays a critical role in encouraging the conditions that support domestic manufacturing of essential medicines. "AAM believes that additional incentives, such as those included in our Blueprint for Enhancing the Security of the U.S. Pharmaceutical Supply Chain, will be necessary as the U.S. seeks to increase its role in the global pharmaceutical supply chain," AAM said.

Finally, AAM said its member companies, who currently employ approximately 52,000 American workers manufacturing more than 60 billion generic doses annually at 149 facilities across the country, believe that with the right incentives in place, even more American workers can contribute to a secure U.S. supply chain.