HIDA Applauds Committee Approval Of PREVENT Pandemics Act
Senate HELP Committee Advances HIDA Policy for Distributor-Led Approach to Pandemic Response
Alexandria, VA, March 15, 2022 – The Health Industry Distributors Association (HIDA) today applauded the markup and approval by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee of S. 3799, the Prepare for and Respond to Existing Viruses, Emerging New Threats, and Pandemics Act (PREVENT Pandemics Act).
“The PREVENT Pandemics Act is bipartisan, forward-thinking legislation that recognizes the critical role of the private sector in maintaining preparedness,” said HIDA President and CEO Matthew J. Rowan. “HIDA applauds the advancement of the PREVENT Pandemics Act and urges the Senate to act on this critical legislation.”
The PREVENT Pandemics Act – introduced by Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Richard Burr (R-NC) – 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. HIDA has engaged extensively with Senators Murray and Burr, as well as senior staff from the Senate HELP Committee throughout the development of the bill.
Key provisions of the PREVENT Pandemics Act include:
- The legislation incorporates language from the Medical Supplies for Pandemic Act, which was written with extensive input from HIDA and unanimously passed the House of Representatives multiple times.
- Section 405 of the PREVENT Pandemics Act authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to contract with medical products distributors to manage a surge capacity of pandemic supplies.
- Section 107 establishes the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy within the Executive Office of the President.
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, visit HIDA.org.