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NPR Online NewsNov 26, 2022
US Senate Report: Growing Drug Shortages Pose National Security Risk
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Image copyright: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images [via NBC]
The Facts
A report released Wednesday from the US Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs found that national drug shortages have increased in frequency and duration because of over-dependence on countries like China and India — thus posing a national security risk.
Between 2021 and 2022, new drug shortages increased by nearly 30%, with committee chairman Gary Peters (D-Mich.) saying shortages reached "a peak 295 individual drugs in shortage at the end of 2022."
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Congress is finally taking the drug shortage seriously and seeking solutions for it. Moving forward, it will seek to onshore production to the US, diversify where medical supplies come from, and provide incentives for manufacturers to produce less-profitable drugs. Establishing an early-warning system for shortages, and investing in advanced manufacturing technologies will also help the US tackle this problem.
Establishment-critical narrative
Politicians have had multiple opportunities to cut ties with China and bring drug manufacturing back home, but they’re beholden to their corporate donors, who favor the status quo and offshoring harmful to the US economy. This crisis is another reason why domestic re-industrialization — including biotech supply chains — needs to be central to addressing an issue like this.
