About those bills…

There’s a lot to keep track of. Here’s a quick rundown of the ones that caught my attention. 

The strikingly bipartisan approach

• This bill, from Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), would direct drug makers to provide more information to the FDA on where they're making drugs abroad. It'd also make it harder for drugs with any chinese components to get preferential “Buy America” treatment, even if most of the manufacturing is done in the U.S. But this bill is most notable because it includes some high profile Democratic cosponsors, like Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)

House Democrats’ approach

• The HEROES Act, the coronavirus response package passed by the House on May 15, includes a number of supply chain-related provisions, including one that directs the president to appoint a “medical supplies response coordinator.” It'd also require drug makers to submit quarterly reports to the FDA on the volume of drugs they’re making abroad and allow the FDA to fine drug makers when they don’t adequately alert the agency of potential shortages. 

The ‘uh, what?’ approach

• A bill from Rep. Bill Posey (R-Fla.) would direct the FDA to issue block box warnings when drugs are made in countries like China. No drug maker wants a black box warning, as they’re typically reserved for potentially deadly side effects … not comments about foreign manufacturing. Something tells me this one might get challenged in court if it became law.  

The industry friendly alternatives

• Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) and Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) have a bill to provide a 30% tax incentive for drug makers that open production plants in high-poverty areas of America. 
• Sen. Gary Peters’ (D-Mich.) has another that would encourage federal agencies to heed the generic lobby’s advice and promise long-term contacts to companies investing in American manufacturing.