Tuberville Advocates for Returning Pharmaceutical Manufacturing to the U.S.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) participated in a Senate Committee on Aging hearing focused on China's death grip on America's drug supply. During the hearing, Sen. Tuberville discussed with the hearing witnesses the importance of transparency with drug labeling as well as bringing back pharmaceutical manufacturing from China to the United States.

Excerpts from Sen. Tuberville's remarks can be found below, or viewed on YouTube or Rumble.

ON CHINA CIRCUMVENTING THE FDA

TUBERVILLE: "Thank you for this hearing. Can't get any more important than this. Ms. Gibson, it's becoming common knowledge that for whatever reason, China's often able to circumvent the FDA when producing generic medications worldwide. That means, Americans are often taking drugs that, if produced in the United States, would meet higher standards. How can we move that leverage that China has over our people making drugs?"

GIBSON: "You're correct, Senator, that China has outmaneuvered the FDA. The former FDA Commissioner, Dr. Robert Caeliff, told the House Appropriations Committee in 2023 that China 'Is a problem. It's not transparent. The FDA cannot get information from them to perform its regulatory functions.' And he said we cannot be allowed to depend on China. And as you may know, in 2023, they started an anti-espionage law where regulators don't wanna travel there.

I believe the way to get around this regulatory issue is we are importing, in my mind, de facto unregulated products, and the quality data demonstrate that in countries that don't respect our regulations, then we should not be buying from them. If we use the quality data from the DoD testing program, that will turn out and take out manufacturers in countries who do not respect our laws and will be able to use U.S. manufacturers. So, let's use the quality data to really clean up the system. I think it's sending a market signal rather than a regulatory signal."

TUBERVILLE: "Thank you. In your book, China Rx, you revealed that China controls approximately 90 percent of key starting materials to make APIs and generics. How do you think the U.S. would be affected if China were to cease those exports today?"

GIBSON: "A lot of people would die in this country. Our healthcare systems would cease to function. If China wanted to spread infectious disease, we would not have the tools to be able to treat people."

ON CHINA'S PHARMA DEATH GRIP ON AMERICA

TUBERVILLE: "Mr. Chang, you said in your testimony that China has a pharma death grip on America. How do we work to change that at the federal level?"

CHANG: "The most important thing is on an emergency basis. We need to bring back production here. And the reason is China has been able to outmaneuver the FDA, as you just talked about, because they do have such a big monopoly on all parts of the chain. And the only way to do that is to break that monopoly. And unfortunately, this is going to take some time. But it is possible. China developed this monopoly. We can take it back. But we've got to know that within two or three years, there is a period of extreme vulnerability."

TUBERVILLE: "Can we use tariffs to help us out with China?"

CHANG: "Section 232 tariffs, I think, are very important in that regard. Other tariffs are also possible. The Supreme Court in the Learning Resources decision struck down the seventy-seven Act tariffs, but Section 301 tariffs and 232's could very well create the conditions where if we had an enhanced investment tax credit and if the president were to invoke the Defense Production Act, These are things that could stimulate domestic production immediately."

TUBERVILLE: "Thank you."

ON ONSHORE PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURING

TUBERVILLE: "Last November, we had a young man that came from my state in Birmingham, Oxford Pharmaceuticals, to testify the importance of onshore drug manufacturing. Mr. Chang, what can we do to encourage pharmaceutical companies to acquire APIs domestically instead of sourcing them from places like China or India? Is that possible?"

CHANG: "It is possible, but the first thing I think we need to do is get the federal government to require the purchase of American made pharmaceuticals or pharmaceuticals that are friend-shored if they're not available in the U.S. But it's an all of the above approach. Because as I mentioned, China is able to get around all of our rules because they know that if they cut off production, then as Rosemarie Gibson just told us, Americans are gonna die. So, it's an all above the approach on an emergency basis. I know that's not a satisfactory answer, but unfortunately, I think it's close to where we have to be. And if we don't do this, the problems are just gonna get worse because China's becoming more predatory."

TUBERVILLE: "Congressman, you served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. You understand the risk. What is at stake if we do not gain control of what's going on here?"

YOHO: "National security. I mean, we'd be beholden to another country, i.e. China. This is something it's imperative that we get this right. We get it done now. The Defense Production Act as President Trump used in his first term to create those products here. You know, the PPEs is something we could do now. And the other thing is, the ABCs of manufacturing: Anywhere But China. Friend-shore, near-shore, onshore. Use the tools we have to bring that stuff home now. We know where China is going. We know what their end intent is, and we need to do it now."

TUBERVILLE: "Yeah, this Clear Labels Act that the Chairman of putting exactly what is in the drugs that we take. How important is that?"

YOHO: "It's real important. I like it. […] but for it to be effective, people have to read it. And we tried that on the [House] Ag Committee with the COOL Amendment. I think legislation like that is strong, and I think we need to do it. But I think we need to put more force on the FDA to regulate drugs or inspect them the same way they do here and tell those countries you're gonna do it our way or don't sell here. It's your choice."

TUBERVILLE: "Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman."

Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans' Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

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