Bipartisan US lawmakers push bill to probe reliance on foreign-made drugs and ingredients

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A trio of bipartisan lawmakers on Wednesday re-introduced a bill requiring the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Treasury to investigate whether the U.S. relies too heavily on foreign countries for prescription drug production, including whether those risks are increased by relocating domestic manufacturing facilities to foreign countries.

The legislation arrives amid increasing concern over the extent to which the U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain is vulnerable to disruption that could cause a national security issue. In particular, the anxiety reflects China’s dominant role in producing many essential materials that are needed for medicines taken by Americans.

Five years ago, for instance, a U.S. Department of Defense watchdog found that an overreliance on foreign suppliers of medicines could harm national security and that the Pentagon failed to assess the risks of shortages or develop strategies to mitigate disruptions.

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