U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Rick Scott and Ranking Member Kirsten Gillibrand have sent a letter to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins, seeking information about the VA’s strategies for protecting veterans’ access to safe pharmaceuticals amid concerns over the nation’s reliance on foreign drug suppliers.
The senators expressed concern that increasing dependence on key starting materials, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), and generic drugs from countries such as China and India limits U.S. oversight and could pose risks to public health and national security. They highlighted that unsafe drugs might reach American consumers, including veterans, due to these vulnerabilities.
The letter also points out how geopolitical instability—particularly China’s recent actions restricting exports—could threaten the availability of critical medications in the United States. The senators asked the VA for details about its drug acquisition processes, quality controls, contingency planning, and coordination with other agencies like the Department of Defense.
Chairman Scott and Ranking Member Gillibrand have previously addressed similar concerns by sending letters to major U.S. pharmacies, FDA Commissioner Martin Makary, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., pharmaceutical distributors, and group purchasing organizations. They have also released an investigative report outlining America’s reliance on foreign-manufactured generic drugs following two committee hearings focused on supply chain vulnerabilities and potential solutions for domestic manufacturing.
In their letter to Secretary Collins, they wrote: “The U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging is examining how vulnerable pharmaceutical supply chains can present a risk to public health preparedness and national security. Increasingly, our nation relies on the import of key starting materials (KSMs), active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), and finished dosage form (FDF) generic drug products from China and India, giving the U.S. limited operational oversight and control.”
They further stated: “With an estimated 91 percent of prescriptions filled as generic drugs each year in the U.S., it is clear that many Americans, including veterans, rely on generic drugs to maintain health, manage chronic diseases, and recover from illnesses. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) plays an essential role in ensuring that every member of our veteran population has access to high-quality, safe, and effective medicines.”
Recent reports indicate that in response to shortages or potential shortages of certain medications or ingredients subject to import bans due to substandard manufacturing conditions abroad—primarily in China or India—the Food and Drug Administration has granted exemptions allowing these products into the U.S. market despite earlier safety concerns.
The senators also referenced a recent trade dispute with China where new export restrictions were imposed after a bilateral agreement was reached earlier this year regarding rare earth elements. This action demonstrates China’s willingness to use trade as leverage against the United States—a tactic that could potentially extend to pharmaceuticals given China’s significant role as a supplier.
“Ultimately,” they wrote,“the interaction between regulatory oversight and geopolitical dynamics presents significant challenges to the safety and reliability of our pharmaceutical supply chain. It necessitates ongoing vigilance and proactive measures to ensure that patients receive high-quality and safe medications.”
Scott and Gillibrand requested a briefing from the VA by December 30 covering topics such as sources of purchased drugs; handling of medications flagged for quality issues; contingency plans if exports are disrupted; assessment of inventory levels; impacts on veterans’ care; evaluation methods for medication quality; insight into supply chains; resiliency considerations; joint purchasing with other federal agencies; among others.
They concluded: “Thank you for your work to protect veterans and provide them with the care they need. We look forward to a continued partnership and ensuring that veterans in this country have access to safe and high-quality medications.”
