Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Florida News

Florida Congresswoman Champions the Medical Device Shortage Reduction Act

During a roundtable event held in Tampa at the end of last week, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., showcased her “Medical Device Shortage Reduction Act.”

Meeting about the “drug and medical device shortage crisis in the Tampa Bay area and across the United States,” Castor showcased her bill which “would require manufacturers of critical medical devices to report supply interruptions likely to lead to shortages, similar to what is required of drug manufacturers already.” Castor’s office noted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) possessed this power during the COVID public health emergency, which “allowed the agency to take action on more than 350 potential or actual shortages of medical devices, including CPAP machines, nasal swabs, and IV bags.”

“Exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of drug shortages facing our nation is at a five-year high, with a reported 30 percent jump in the number of drugs in shortage in 2022. Shortages have real-world and life-threatening impacts for families across the country. When drugs or devices are in short supply, lifesaving care can be delayed or canceled, leaving patients with treatment options that are less effective or more expensive,” Castor’s office insisted.

“The shortage of life-saving medications and medical devices has become a national crisis, forcing families to take less than their prescribed dosage or risk going without the care they need,” said Castor. “This nationwide crisis was worsened by manufacturing and supply chain disruptions driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. As we work to build a more resilient supply chain, we must address these life-threatening shortages that persist to this day. I’m proud to be leading the effort in the Congress, alongside dedicated advocates like Laura Bray, to get our neighbors the medical care they need. I encourage my Republican colleagues to join me in fighting to ensure no family finds themselves in this dire situation again.”

Castor introduced the bill last month. Last week, U.S. Reps. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., and John Sarbanes, D-Mary., co-sponsored the bill. The bill was sent to the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, where U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, D-NJ, leads the Democrats. Last month, Pallone called on the GOP majority to include Castor’s proposal in the proposal to reauthorize the Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA).

“We have the opportunity to act now on commonsense proposals, like my Medical Device Shortage Reduction Act, to prevent providers, patients, and their families from being told a drug or device isn’t available. Our current approach of addressing crises episode-by-episode is not sufficient, and Republicans must join House Democrats to give American families the certainty and quality of care they need and deserve,” said Castor.

So far, there is no companion measure over in the U.S. Senate.

Author

  • Kevin Derby

    Originally from Jacksonville, Kevin Derby is a contributing writer for Florida Daily and covers politics across Florida.

    View all posts

Archives

Related Articles

Political News

Florida, Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody announced the introduction of the Consolidating Aerospace Programs Efficiently at Canaveral (CAPE Canaveral) Act. This bill will relocate...

Political News

China has bought up farmland near 19 U.S. military bases in the U.S. and two of them here in Florida, that’s according to the...

Florida News

The University of Central Florida has hired an internationally recognized space medicine expert to expand research into how spaceflight affects humans and create a space medicine...

Florida News

Below is a statement form the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida: Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg...

Advertisement
Florida Daily
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

HOW WE COLLECT E-MAIL INFORMATION:

If you sign up to subscribe to Florida Daily’s e-mail newsletter, you will provide us your e-mail address and name, voluntarily, and we will never obtain any of your contact information that you don’t voluntarily provide.

HOW WE USE AN E-MAIL ADDRESS IF YOU VOLUNTARILY PROVIDE IT TO US:

If you voluntarily provide us with your name and email address, we will use it to send you one email update per weekday. Your email address will not be given to any third parties.

YOUR CONTROLS:

You will have the option to unsubscribe to our E-mail update at anytime by clicking an unsubscribe link that will be provided in each E-Mail we send.