A bipartisan group of senators, including Florida’s Rick Scott and Michigan’s Gary Peters, has introduced the Mapping America’s Pharmaceutical Supply (MAPS) Act, a legislative effort aimed at strengthening the nation’s access to essential medicines and reducing dependence on foreign sources, particularly China.
The bill seeks to codify and build upon a Trump administration Executive Order designed to secure the U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain.
The MAPS Act would direct the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to maintain and publicly release a list of essential medicines. Furthermore, HHS would be tasked with conducting comprehensive risk assessments to pinpoint vulnerabilities within the supply chain, such as overreliance on foreign manufacturers and potential cybersecurity threats.
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A key component of the legislation is the requirement to map the entire pharmaceutical supply chain, from the sourcing of key ingredients to the distribution of finished drug products. This mapping aims to enhance transparency and improve the nation’s preparedness for potential disruptions. The bill also specifically mandates that the Department of Defense (DOD) report on the extent of U.S. reliance on Communist China for critical drug components.
This legislative push builds on existing efforts, including a provision championed by Senator Scott in the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act. That provision requires the DOD to develop a strategy to secure its own pharmaceutical supply chain by prioritizing domestically sourced drugs and avoiding ingredients or key starting materials from China.
“I’m proud to support the bipartisan MAPS Act to strengthen our essential medicine supply chains and reduce America’s dangerous overreliance on Communist China for critical drug ingredients,” stated Senator Rick Scott. “This legislation will enhance federal coordination and supply chain visibility so we can better protect patients, prevent drug shortages, and ensure our national security isn’t compromised by foreign adversaries.”
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Senator Gary Peters emphasized the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic. “As we learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, federal agencies lack the visibility needed to effectively identify and respond to supply chain chokepoints,” he said. “This bipartisan legislation will help ensure we have the tools necessary to proactively identify vulnerabilities in our essential medicine supply chains and reduce our dependence on foreign sources. Every American should have access to essential medicines.”
The bill has garnered support from a broad coalition of senators. Senator James Lankford highlighted national security concerns, stating, “US dependence on pharmaceutical drugs and products from other countries, like communist China, is a major concern for our national security.” Senator Joni Ernst echoed this sentiment, saying, “Depending on China for critical pharmaceutical ingredients poses a national security threat.”
Senator Tim Kaine focused on the impact of drug shortages on patients, noting, “Drug shortages can force Americans to ration or even go without the medications they need – leading to tragic and preventable consequences.” Senator Angus King added, “The bipartisan Mapping America’s Pharmaceutical Supply (MAPS) Act would help prevent prescription drug shortages, ensure that our country is reducing its dependence on foreign adversaries for essential medicines, while also protecting the American public from the effects of a future pandemic.”
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The MAPS Act is also backed by several prominent healthcare organizations, including the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), Angels for Change, the Michigan Health & Hospital Association, United States Pharmacopeia, and CivicaRx.
Tom Kraus, Vice President of ASHP Government Relations, said, “ASHP strongly supports the MAPS Act. By requiring the Department of Health and Human services to coordinate with other agencies and the private sector to map the pharmaceutical supply chain, threats to the U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain can be identified and addressed before they place patients at risk.”
Dr. Eric P. Winer, Board Chair of ASCO, also applauded the bill, stating, “ASCO applauds the introduction of the MAPS Act, which would provide needed tools to gain better visibility into the supply of critical prescription drugs in the United States. We support efforts to recognize potential drug shortages earlier and to relay information to stakeholders to help them prepare for and mitigate possible supply challenges.”
The bill, officially titled “To improve coordination of Federal efforts to identify and mitigate health and national security risks through maintaining a list of essential medicines, conducting a risk assessment of essential medicine supply chains, and creating a monitoring system to map essential medicine supply chains using data analytics,” will now be considered by the relevant Senate committees.
Its introduction signals a continued bipartisan focus on shoring up critical infrastructure and reducing vulnerabilities in the nation’s healthcare system.
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