President Biden on Monday said he plans to use the Defense Production Act to make more “essential medicines” in America in an effort to mitigate drug shortages and curb inflation.
“We’re going to help ensure American families have reliable access to medicines they need,” Biden stated, according to a published transcript of his remarks.
“Before the pandemic, supply chains weren’t something most Americans thought about or talked about. But today, after years of delay in parts and products, everyone knows why supply chains are so important,” the president said.
The COVID-19 pandemic and its various iterations have brought supply challenges to the forefront for senior living community and nursing home operators. Provider advocates recently appealed to the White House to prioritize long-term care facilities for COVID vaccines, the access and availability of which, industry representatives said, has been inconsistent.
In Monday’s remarks, the president noted the difficulty of getting enough of some types of vaccines, due to lack of US manufacturing.
“You had to get it overseas. Well, that supply chain is going to start here in America,” he said.
Biden’s remarks came during the launch of a new Council on Supply Chain Resilience. The body, to be co-chaired by the national security adviser and national economic adviser, will include the secretaries and administrators of multiple agencies, the attorney general and other senior officials.
“I’m charging this group to ensure that our supply chains remain secure, diversified, resilient, and do all — and into the future,” Biden said. “I’ve also directed my cabinet to create an early warning system that uses data to spot … supply chains risks to our economic security, our national security, our energy security and our climate security.”
