PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP IS ENSURING THAT ESSENTIAL MEDICAL SUPPLIES ARE PRODUCED IN THE UNITED STATES

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 6, 2020 PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP IS ENSURING THAT ESSENTIAL MEDICAL SUPPLIES ARE PRODUCED IN THE UNITED STATES “We must never be reliant on a foreign nation for America’s medical or other needs.” – President Donald J. Trump STRENGTHENING MEDICAL SUPPLY CHAINS: President Donald J. Trump is taking bold action to re-shore production of essential medicines, medical countermeasures, and critical inputs. President Trump is signing an Executive Order to increase American production of essential medical supplies and cut down our reliance on foreign producers of medicines. Under the order, the Commissioner of Food and Drugs is directed to create a list of medicines, medical countermeasures, and critical inputs that are essential for public health in America.  Each agency will consider using its authority to limit competition in government procurement of these essential items to American manufacturers. The order will support American jobs by accelerating the domestic manufacturing of essential medicines, medical countermeasures, as well as their critical inputs, and ensuring long-term demand for those products. To support the production of advanced pharmaceutical ingredients and essential medicines in America, the order also directs agencies to prioritize permitting and approvals for domestic manufacturers. PROTECTING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE: The President’s action will help ensure that America is not reliant on foreign countries for items critical to our Nation’s health and national security. To protect the American people during a public health crisis, it is imperative that our Nation has a resilient public health industrial base with strong domestic supply chains for essential medicines, medical countermeasures, and critical inputs.   America’s supply chains must be capable of meeting national security requirements for responding to public health emergencies and other threats. Our Nation’s reliance on foreign countries for critical medical supplies is not sustainable and leaves the American people incredibly vulnerable.  By relocating medical supply chains back home, President Trump is ending this foreign reliance and ensuring that our Nation has the resources necessary to respond to public health emergencies and security threats. SUPPORTING AMERICAN PRODUCTION: This order builds on the President’s strong efforts to make America the world’s premier producer of medical supplies.   The Trump Administration is supporting a deal to transform Kodak into a pharmaceutical company that can help produce essential medicines in the United States. The Administration has taken over 30 actions under the Defense Production Act (DPA) to provide billions of dollars in critical support for essential medical resources and our defense industrial base. The President has used the DPA to mobilize the private sector and massively ramp up production of ventilators, swabs, masks, and other critically-needed medical supplies. Through Operation Warp Speed, the Administration is working with the private sector and the scientific community to quickly deliver safe and effective vaccines and therapeutics to the American people in record time.