Premier responded to two bipartisan Requests for Information (RFIs) from House Energy and Commerce (E&C) Committee members Reps. Richard Hudson (R-NC) and Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Senate HELP Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Ranking Member Bill Cassidy (R-LA), who are seeking input as the committees begins the process of reauthorizing the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA).
Dovetailing these detailed comments, Premier submitted statements for hearings held in May by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee and the House E&C Committee hearing reiterating our recommendations.
From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Premier has been at the forefront of response efforts working around the clock to ensure hospitals, health systems, and continuum of care providers across the country had access to the necessary PPE, medical supplies and pharmaceuticals to treat COVID-19 patients. In its comments, Premier reflects on the lessons learned during COVID-19 and Mpox response efforts and provides detailed recommendations to address the most critical national health security threats that demand increased attention. Specifically, Premier recommends revisions to PAHPA to mitigate national security challenges by:
- Modernizing the country’s data infrastructure;
- Strengthening the Strategic National Stockpile;
- Incentivizing domestic manufacturing;
- Mitigating drug and device shortages;
- Maintaining supply chain integrity;
- Leveraging technology to prevent infections in nursing homes;
- Finding sustainable solutions to environmental issues impacting patient care;
- Identifying and bundling waivers and flexibilities for expeditious implementation during a future public health emergency;
- Broadening and better organizing lab networks;
- Ensuring emergency efforts account for the needs of disabled individuals and their families; and
- Holding manufacturers accountable for the cybersecurity of their devices.
Premier looks forward to working with Congress to further refine PAHPA and develop a cohesive and holistic national strategy for addressing global pandemics.
