Trade Alliance for Health Statement on Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act
The Trade Alliance for Health, which includes Pfizer, UPS, Gilead, and other health care related companies, applauds Senator Tom Carper (D-DE), Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), Representative Michelle Steel (R-CA), and Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL) for introducing the Medical Supply Chain Resiliency Act, legislation that will help create strong supply chains for medical goods and services between the United States and key allies and partners around the world. This is critical to improving medical supply chain resilience, bolstering U.S. national security and public health, and better preparing the United States for the next pandemic.
In particular, this legislation would empower the United States to negotiate Trusted Trade Partner Agreements that would reduce or eliminate tariffs, quotas, and other barriers that create a disincentive to manufacturing in the United States and Trusted Trade Partner countries, harmonize regulations and promote regulatory cooperation, among other provisions. In order to qualify as a Trusted Trade Partner, countries would need to demonstrate a commitment to global health security, have a track record of compliance with trade agreements, protect U.S. intellectual property, and take other actions to reduce barriers to trade and promote good regulatory practices.
The COVID-19 pandemic illustrated the dire need to collaborate with our allies and trading partners in this area and we strongly encourage Congress to act on this legislation as soon as possible. This will help ensure that critical medical goods and services are delivered safely, swiftly, and efficiently to patients in America and around the world.
The Trade Alliance for Health was formed to promote the principle that trade policy should enable access to health technologies and services, contributing to better health outcomes for patients and supporting American jobs. The Alliance also believes that U.S. trade policy should support the United States as a leader in healthcare innovation, including R&D for life sciences and digital health, and a competitive provider of healthcare goods and services.