No More ‘Heads Up’ for Foreign Facilities: Ernst Wants to Level the Playing Field for American Producers
Eliminating the lead time that foreign pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities receive before FDA inspections will “help bring manufacturing back to the U.S. and reduce our reliance on Communist China,” the Iowa senator says.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is seeking to eliminate the lead time that foreign pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities—like those in Communist China—receive before FDA inspections, to even the playing field between foreign and American manufacturers.
“Giving foreign drug manufacturers in countries like China a ‘heads up’ before facility inspections, while putting our own domestic producers at a disadvantage, makes about as much sense as relying on the CCP to make these critical goods in the first place. This bill will put American producers on a level playing field with foreign competitors, help bring manufacturing back to the U.S., and reduce our reliance on Communist China,” said Senator Joni Ernst.
Along with Senator Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Ernst introduced the Creating Efficiency in Foreign Inspections Act to create an incentive for drug manufacturers abroad to bring their facilities back to the U.S., leading to a stronger domestic supply chain.
Foreign pharmaceutical facilities are awarded significant lead time between the time they are notified of a facility inspection and the time the inspections take place. Domestic facilities do not receive the same treatment, receiving little to no advance notice prior to a facility inspection. This legislation would end the lead time that pharmaceutical facilities outside of the U.S. receive for FDA inspections and level the playing field for domestic manufacturers.
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