The COVID-19 pandemic shoved the nation's weak supply of personal protective equipment into the limelight when hospitals scrambled to grab enough gowns, medical masks and gloves in 2020. More than two years later, N95 respirator masks exited the FDA's medical device shortage list.
The decision marks a shift in supply chain resiliency and domestic manufacturing powers, according to the FDA.
"Today, our national capacity for production of these devices is stronger and our supply chain is more resilient because of these collective efforts on behalf of the dedicated people working to save lives," Suzanne Schwartz, MD, director of the FDA's Office of Strategic Partnerships and Technology Innovation, said in an Aug. 26 statement.