Trump advisor Peter Navarro slams Big Pharma’s lobbying against possible ‘Buy America’ executive order – By Lauren Hirsch (CNBC) / March 19 2020
- Peter Navarro told CNBC that he is bringing an executive order to President Trump that would reduce American dependency on foreign suppliers for medicine.
- PHRMA, the lobbying group representing the industry, has rolled out a heavy lobbying push in return.
- Navarro, a China hawk, said the group’s pushback is a “desperate attempt” to keep manufacturing offshore.
One of President Donald Trump’s leading trade advisors slammed Big Pharma’s attempts to lobby against an executive order he is preparing to push companies to relocate medical supply chains to the United States.
When asked about the push by lobbying group PhRMA against the executive order, Peter Navvaro told CNBC, “This Big Pharma spin is simply a desperate attempt to stop President Donald J. Trump from moving the production of our essential medicines and medical equipment and supplies to the U.S.”
Navarro, known for his hawkish views on China, told CNBC earlier this week that he is bringing an executive order to Trump that would aim to reduce United States dependency on foreign manufacturers for medicine. About 72% of pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturers supplying the U.S. are located overseas, including 13% in China, according to October congressional testimony by Janet Woodcock, director of the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
The executive order Navarro is planning will streamline regulatory approvals for “American-made” products and look to impose similar FDA restrictions on U.S. facilities as those abroad. It will also encourage the U.S. government, including the Department of Defense, Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Veterans Affairs, to only buy American-made medical products.
PhRMA has rolled out a heavy lobbying push in return, according to people familiar with the industry’s thinking and a document seen by CNBC.
The trade group – which represents companies including Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson and Sanofi – contends that too much manufacturing in the U.S. makes it as vulnerable to disruption in the event of a crisis.
Continue to article: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/19/coronavirus-trump-aide-peter-navarro-slams-big-pharma.html
