The Trump administration is developing an initiative aimed at moving production of 86 essential medicines to the U.S. within 18 months, according to a Sept. 25 Bloomberg report.
Under the initiative, the Office of Management and Budget would solicit proposals from the healthcare industry on opportunities to move production of drugs on the list to the U.S., according to the report. A committee would identify and act on industry proposals.
The effort cites “national security” and aims to reduce or eliminate dependence on medicines produced by foreign entities of concern, including China, Russia, Iran and North Korea, according to an OMB document cited by Bloomberg.
The initiative builds on broader federal efforts to strengthen domestic supplies of critical drugs. The Economic Development Administration put $15.97 million toward a Civica-led project to build a fully domestic supply chain for four sterile injectables. Nine drugmakers that signed most-favored-nation pricing agreements with the administration this month also committed to invest at least $19.6 billion collectively in U.S. manufacturing.
Healthcare industry groups have cautioned that tariffs on imported medicines and pharmaceutical ingredients could increase costs or contribute to shortages while domestic manufacturing capacity is being developed. ASHP and America’s Essential Hospitals have called for exemptions for certain pharmaceutical products.
