Senate Help Releases Staff Bipartisan Discussion Draft Legislation to Reauthorize PAHPA

  • by AGD Washington Advocacy Representative
  • Jul 14, 2023
On July 3, 2023, staff of Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Bob Casey (D-PA), and Mitt Romney (R-UT) released a staff-level bipartisan discussion draft to reauthorize the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA). This important legislation would help the U.S. be better prepared for the next public health emergency and must be reauthorized by September 30, 2023. 

The Senate staff discussion draft includes provisions to launch pilot programs for data sharing and state medical stockpiles, boost research on treatments for viral pathogens, expand technical assistance opportunities to state and local governments serving particularly vulnerable populations during emergencies, establish biosecurity measures, and improve wastewater surveillance for pathogen detection. 

Staff are seeking feedback on the draft, including on two partisan provisions: (1) to require all Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA)- and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)- supported products to be sold to the government or in the commercial market for the lowest price among G7 countries and (2) to expand the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) priority review voucher program.

Impact on General Dentistry: The AGD will continue to monitor legislative developments on PAHPA’s reauthorization for any provisions that may affect the practice of dentistry.