Combating Public Health Emergencies and Strengthening National Security by Ensuring Essential Medicines, Medical Countermeasures, and Critical Inputs Are Made in the United States

2020-08-14Executive Order 13944
Signed by: Donald Trump
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Headline: Federal Agencies Required to Buy Essential Medicines Domestically

What it does: Agencies must prioritize and increase domestic procurement of essential medicines, medical countermeasures, and critical inputs and identify supply-chain vulnerabilities.

Real World Impact:
  • Increases federal purchasing of medicines and medical supplies made in the United States.
  • Requires agencies to report procurement, spending, and product sources annually.
  • Allows the Defense Department to limit foreign suppliers for defense-related medical items.
Topics: healthcare supply chains, domestic manufacturing, government procurement, drug safety, national security

Summary

This order directs federal agencies to increase U.S. production and purchasing of Essential Medicines, Medical Countermeasures, and Critical Inputs and to build redundancy in domestic supply chains. It aims to reduce dependence on foreign manufacturers and prevent shortages while protecting service members and patients.

It requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to identify essential items and supply vulnerabilities, asks agencies to strengthen procurement rules and reporting, directs the Defense Department to prioritize military needs, and empowers use of existing authorities to speed domestic manufacturing.

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