Senator Tom Cotton from Arkansas has put forward a legislative proposal aimed at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The bill seeks to ensure that pharmaceutical companies supplying drugs to Americans are free from connections to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
During a policy-focused event in Washington, DC, Cotton articulated the necessity for such a measure. Addressing Washington Bureau Chief Matthew Boyle, he accused China of employing “illegitimate means” to dominate the U.S. pharmaceutical market.
Cotton pointed out that China has monopolized the production of essential medicines like ibuprofen, acetaminophen, penicillin, and heparin over the years. He emphasized that this dependency is precarious, especially since these are not the cutting-edge drugs but basic medications we rely on daily.
The senator highlighted the risk by noting, “We assume it’s easy to go to Walmart and purchase a bottle of ibuprofen. However, if China decides to cut off supplies, it poses a major issue.” He further stressed the danger of being unable to access antibiotics for common infections if China disrupts the supply chain, citing instances where people have suffered or even died from low-quality Chinese pharmaceuticals.
In response to the concerns he spotlighted earlier in March, the Arkansas senator introduced the “Securing America’s Drug Supply from Communist China Act” on Thursday.
According to the proposed legislation, the FDA, in collaboration with the HHS Office of National Security, would be required to assess both currently approved drugs and future drug applications to safeguard against unwanted ties.
The Secretary shall not approve any drug application submitted on or after the date of enactment of this Act if the Secretary has determined […] that the sponsor of such application is a [People’s Republic of China]-, [Chinese Communist Party]-, or [People’s Liberation Army]-affiliated entity.
If a drug is determined to have been produced by a company with ties to the CCP, “then such drug shall be refused […] and the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection shall destroy, without the opportunity for export, such drug.”
Cotton’s act would appropriate $5,000,000 to carry out the aforementioned actions.
“We shouldn’t be green-lighting Chinese drugs while we’re drowning American pharmaceutical and biotech companies in red tape and making it harder for them to build new manufacturing facilities,” the Arkansas senator said during last month’s policy event.
In an exclusive statement to – News on Thursday, Cotton argued that “relying on our chief adversary for lifesaving medicine endangers Arkansans and threatens our national security.”
“My bill would ensure our drugs aren’t produced by companies affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party,” he added.
