After pain reliever products such as children's versions of Tylenol and Motrin went scarce across the nation during the Covid-19 pandemic, Representative Cory Mills (R-FL) initiated a bipartisan effort alongside Representative Sara Jacobs (D-CA) to prevent important drug shortages like this in the future.
The representatives introduced the Drug Shortage Prevention Act, which obligates drug manufacturers to notify the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) if the market experiences six straight weeks of increase in product demand.
This would allow the FDA to be better equipped to handle shortages of necessary pharmaceuticals.
“Many Americans don’t think about critical medicines until they need them and can’t access them. Parents shouldn’t be put in a bind because, through no fault of their own, the drugs they need while caring for their children aren’t available,” stated Rep. Mills.
Rep. Mills went on to mention that “especially when there are ways for the government to be a resource to manufacturers to avoid shortages of drugs like Infants’ Tylenol, Congress must provide manufacturers with mechanisms to proactively resolve these supply chain issues. I am pleased to join Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (CA-51) in introducing the Drug Shortage Prevention Act, and I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress to advance this legislation.”
Rep. Jacob added that this bill would provide more transparency and accountability for situations such as these.
“When you have a sick child, all parents want to do is help their child feel better. But for months, drug shortages of children’s Tylenol and Motrin have prevented millions of parents from getting the medication they need to relieve children’s flu, RSV, and COVID symptoms,” the California Congresswoman mentioned. “The Drug Shortage Prevention Act will help lessen parents’ worries by creating more transparency of the demand for medication and minimizing drug shortages.”
In congruence with notifying the FDA of consecutive weeks of increased demand, manufacturers will also have to “provide initial notification” to the FDA within 48 hours of such increase, as well as 30 days following the initial notice.
Mills and Jacobs' bill will also call on the FDA Commissioner to alert the public about the drug shortage to appropriate organizations such as physicians, health providers, and patient groups.
