The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) released the following statement today in response to the Trump Administration’s “Buy American” Executive Order (EO) for essential pharmaceuticals:
“Over-the-counter (OTC) drug manufacturers have been working tirelessly to ensure American consumers have a continued supply of OTC medicines to treat a wide variety of ailments, such as minor pain, allergies, and colds. During these unprecedented times, OTC manufacturers have been able to meet U.S. demand, without widespread shortages, in part because of the diverse global supply chain already in place for the ingredients used in these medicines. The OTC medicine industry already has a robust domestic manufacturing presence, with approximately 1,000 facilities from coast to coast. We are grateful to lawmakers for allowing workers to continue manufacturing and delivering these consumer healthcare products across the country throughout the pandemic.
“While US consumers benefit from a highly efficient global supply chain for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and other ingredients needed to produce OTC medicines, CHPA and its members welcome the opportunity to discuss policy options to incent more domestic manufacturing for the APIs and ingredients. However, we are concerned that any ‘Buy American’ mandate in the heat of a global pandemic could certainly lead to short-term supply challenges. We look forward to reviewing this order more closely and discussing future policy options with the Administration and with Congress.”
