Medical Countermeasures Surge Capacity Act of 2022

12/29/2022, 9:18 PM

Medical Countermeasures Surge Capacity Act of 2022

This bill expands the scope of research and development activities carried out by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to include support for maintaining and improving domestic manufacturing surge capacity and capabilities for vaccines, diagnostics, and other medical countermeasures.

In particular, BARDA must enter into transactions with facilities to ensure that domestic manufacturing surge capacity is available to manufacture medical countermeasures and related products in the event of a public health emergency (e.g., by supporting flexible or advanced manufacturing). The Government Accountability Office must report on these efforts.

In addition, BARDA must address support for domestic manufacturing surge capacity in its strategic plan for countermeasure research, development, and procurement.

The bill also reauthorizes through FY2028 a program through which BARDA may support innovative technologies to assist in medical countermeasure research and development using grants, cooperative agreements, and other transactions.

Congress
117

Number
S - 3588

Introduced on
2022-02-07

# Amendments
0

Sponsors
+5

Cosponsors
+5

Variations and Revisions

2/7/2022

Status of Legislation

Bill Introduced
Introduced to House
House to Vote
Introduced to Senate
Senate to Vote

Purpose and Summary

Medical Countermeasures Surge Capacity Act of 2022

This bill expands the scope of research and development activities carried out by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to include support for maintaining and improving domestic manufacturing surge capacity and capabilities for vaccines, diagnostics, and other medical countermeasures.

In particular, BARDA must enter into transactions with facilities to ensure that domestic manufacturing surge capacity is available to manufacture medical countermeasures and related products in the event of a public health emergency (e.g., by supporting flexible or advanced manufacturing). The Government Accountability Office must report on these efforts.

In addition, BARDA must address support for domestic manufacturing surge capacity in its strategic plan for countermeasure research, development, and procurement.

The bill also reauthorizes through FY2028 a program through which BARDA may support innovative technologies to assist in medical countermeasure research and development using grants, cooperative agreements, and other transactions.

Alternative Names
Official Title as IntroducedA bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to improve domestic manufacturing surge capacity and capabilities for biodefense and pandemic preparedness.

Policy Areas
Health

Potential Impact
Business records
Chemical and biological weapons
Drug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulation
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Government information and archives
Health programs administration and funding
Health technology, devices, supplies
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Manufacturing
Medical research
Public contracts and procurement
Research administration and funding
Research and development

Comments

Recent Activity

Latest Summary5/24/2022

Medical Countermeasures Surge Capacity Act of 2022

This bill expands the scope of research and development activities carried out by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to include support for...


Latest Action2/7/2022
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.