Five healthcare associations outlined various recommendations to address the nation's pharmaceutical supply chain in a Dec. 16 report.
The American Medical Association, American Society of Anesthesiologists, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Association for Clinical Oncology and the United States Pharmacopeia issued the report. The groups are urging policymakers to take various legislative and regulatory actions to address healthcare supply chain issues.
"COVID-19 has magnified the dangers inherent in failing to address gaps and deficiencies in the pharmaceutical and medical supply chains," the groups said. "Policymakers must do more to ensure a consistently safe, effective and uninterrupted supply of quality medicines for patients in this country.”
Three such recommendations for policymakers are below:
1. Incentivize the development and use of advanced manufacturing technology for drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients in domestic and foreign facilities.
2. Improve the function, composition and accessibility of the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile.
3. Achieve more international collaboration with foreign supply chain partners.
View the full list of recommendations here.