The letter – addressed to Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, Minority House Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell — calls on Congress to consider policy solutions aimed at addressing shortages. Those considerations include:

Transparency in the pharmaceutical manufacturing chain — from sourcing raw materials to the finished product, including country-of-origin labeling.
Increased diversity in the manufacturing of generic medications.
Transparency from the FDA related to shortages and events that cause supply disruption.
Re-examination of FDA guidance related to expiration dates.
Waivers to allow purchasing of medications from Canada to quickly expand the supply chain.
Creation of a regulatory environment more favorable to U.S. manufacturing.
Requiring a risk assessment of foreign-source active pharmaceutical ingredients.

Related: Where's my prescription? Drug shortages drive up consumer prices

As the governors claim, drug shortages are not a new problem in the United States. A 2019 U.S. Senate report indicated that significant shortages existed prior to the pandemic, which only exacerbated the problem.

Instant Insights /

'Severe' prescription drug shortage: Governors urge Congress to take action

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