Massachusetts Medical Society President Supports Pandemic Production Act

WALTHAM — Massachusetts Medical Society President Dr. David Rosman issued a statement this week in support of the federal Pandemic Production Act.

“The Massachusetts Medical Society applauds Massachusetts Representative Lori Trahan, along with Representatives Bill Keating and Stephen Lynch, on introducing H.R. 6793, the Pandemic Production Act (PPA) — a bill aimed at bolstering domestic production of medical supplies and technologies, which includes personal protective equipment (PPE). We are pleased to offer our support for the bill,” Rosman noted.

“Just as it was at the onset of the pandemic, access to PPE is consistently one of the top concerns raised by physicians in the Commonwealth. It is imperative for the safety of patients and the healthcare workforce that sufficient supplies are available as this crisis subsides and care for non-COVID-19 patients further expands. Although there have been widespread efforts to assure adequate and appropriate PPE for healthcare providers, supplies of PPE still fall short of current and future anticipated needs. In particular, smaller physician practices and clinics, which are often the first to see patients, lack the buying power and leverage to utilize traditional supply chains to ensure a steady and adequate supply of PPE that will be needed for the future of medical practices.

“This legislation would help get critical PPE and medical equipment into the hands of physicians by funding private-public partnerships with U.S. manufacturers to spur their production of PPE, medical devices, and vaccines. With this bill, greater authority will be given to public-health experts to manage the program to ensure that domestic production is being ramped up at the appropriate time per health-expert guidance. The Pandemic Production Act ensures that we are equipped to fight this ongoing crisis and prepared for future public-health emergencies.

“Again,” he concluded, “we commend the members of the Massachusetts delegation for offering a creative solution to address the country’s need for better access to PPE and other medical supplies.”