A new bill has been introduced by Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) aimed at ensuring that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prevent pharmaceutical companies from having connections to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Discussing this legislation at a policy event hosted by Breitbart News in Washington, D.C., Cotton expressed concerns that China had utilized “illegal means” to dominate the U.S. drug market.
“Many of our medications are quite basic, not necessarily advanced pharmaceuticals—think ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or penicillin. For decades, China has had a stronghold on these essential drugs. It’s a precarious situation,” Cotton explained.
He added, “We often take it for granted. You can easily pick up ibuprofen at Walmart, but if access is cut off, that becomes a serious issue. Imagine a child with an ear infection unable to get antibiotics because China has restricted supplies—that’s deeply concerning. There have been instances where individuals have fallen ill or even died due to inexpensive Chinese pharmaceuticals.”
The Arkansas Republican is pushing further on this topic with the introduction of his Securing America’s Drug Supplies from Communist China Act.
This legislation mandates that the FDA collaborates with the HHS National Security Agency to reassess both approved and incoming drug applications.
The Secretary shall deny a drug application submitted post-enactment if it is determined that the sponsors are affiliated with [People’s Republic of China], [Chinese Communist Party], or [People’s Liberation Army]-Related entities.
If a drug is found to have been produced by a company linked to the CCP, “the drug will be rejected,” and U.S. Customs and Border Protection will destroy such products without the option for export.
Cotton’s proposal includes a funding allocation of $5 million to implement these measures.
“We shouldn’t allow Chinese-made drugs to flourish while American companies face bureaucratic hurdles that make it challenging to establish new manufacturing processes,” he remarked at a recent policy gathering.
In a statement to Breitbart News, Cotton reinforced that depending on an adversary for crucial medications jeopardizes the well-being of Arkansans and poses risks to national security.
“My bill aims to guarantee that our medications are not manufactured by companies with ties to the Chinese Communist Party,” he stressed.
