By Linda Rouse O’Neill
Distributors bring pandemic preparedness message to the Hill
In 2014, an unanticipated Ebola outbreak highlighted many common medical supply and personal protective equipment (PPE) challenges providers face during pandemic emergency events. As you may recall, the healthcare supply chain saw demand spikes for products crucial to any provider medical response such as gloves, masks, and IV solutions, as well as coveralls, hoods, face shields, and other items that protect healthcare workers.
This November, HIDA collaborated with the Healthcare Products Coalition, Rep. Susan Brooks (R-IN), and Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) to work with Congress on improving pandemic responses. In the first of a series of Capitol Hill briefings, we gathered stakeholder insights learned from the Ebola crisis and began laying the groundwork for any legislative changes needed when the Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA) is reauthorized in the next Congress.
The main goal of the briefing was to educate key congressional staff on the supply chain—specifically, what happens during a pandemic and what we have learned from it. Particular talking points focused on:
- The over-ordering, multiple ordering, and other behaviors that impact PPE demand during pandemics
- Why and how allocation is triggered
- The leanness of the supply chain, the amount of extra supply on hand, and how quickly this supply can be used
Another goal of the briefing was to begin a dialogue on how we as a supply chain, our partners, and the government need to change our thinking about products affected by pandemic events. Attendees agreed that the best way to increase supply chain elasticity in preparation for future outbreaks is to work collaboratively on a solution that accounts for all products and trading partners involved during pandemics.
PPE products are uniquely affected during pandemics for various reasons:
- Increased production during emergencies requires the availability of raw materials, and finding substitutes in the event of a shortage can be difficult.
- Sourcing challenges can arise when manufacturing and shipping locations are situated in other countries or remote areas.
- All medical products have certain shelf lives and PPE can expire well before customers realize if items are not used on a regular basis or only used during emergencies.
- The magnitude of demand spikes can vary greatly for PPE products. Items in regular use (e.g., disposable gloves) have much more elastic supply chains than those less regularly used (e.g., Tyvec suits or powered air purifying respirators).
If you would like more information on this initiative or would like to participate in future pandemic preparedness opportunities, please contact us at HIDAGovAffairs@hida.org.