HIDA Applauds Introduction of Bipartisan Preparedness Bill Text

Draft Includes HIDA Policy for Distributor-Led Approach to Pandemic Response

Alexandria, VA – January 26, 2022 – The Health Industry Distributors Association (HIDA) today applauded the release of a discussion draft of the Prepare for and Respond to Existing Viruses, Emerging New Threats, and Pandemics Act (PREVENT Pandemics Act).

“We thank Senators Murray and Burr for valuing the input from health industry distributors to craft bipartisan, forward-looking legislation that understands the vital role of public-private partnerships in managing medical supplies during a pandemic,” said HIDA President and CEO Matthew J. Rowan. “HIDA applauds the release of the PREVENT Pandemics Act discussion draft, and we welcome the opportunity to provide further input on this critical piece of legislation.”

Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Richard Burr (R-NC) – Chairwoman and Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee – released the discussion draft on Tuesday afternoon. The PREVENT Pandemics Act is intended to be a comprehensive, bipartisan legislative effort to apply lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic to strengthen medical supply chains and public health preparedness.

The discussion draft incorporates language from earlier legislation, the Medical Supplies for Pandemic Act, which was written with extensive input from HIDA and unanimously passed the House of Representatives last September.
The PREVENT Pandemics Act includes additional language advocated for by HIDA that would focus pandemic response on a distributor-managed inventory program for pandemic supplies.

• Section 405 of the PREVENT Pandemics Act authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) contract with medical products distributors to manage a surge capacity of pandemic supplies.
• Section 406 requires the procurement contracts to be at least two years in length, rather than making strictly volume-based procurements.

About HIDA

HIDA is the industry trade association representing 114 distribution companies operating 500+ medical distribution centers across the care continuum nationwide. HIDA members deliver medical products and supplies, manage logistics, and offer customer services to virtually every healthcare provider. In 2020, they reliably delivered 51 billion units of PPE “the last mile” to providers. For more information, please visit HIDA.org.

Press Contact: Wyeth Ruthven, HIDA, Ruthven@hida.org