Congresswoman Claudia Tenney has reintroduced the Producing Incentives for Long-term Production of Lifesaving Supply of Medicines (PILLS) Act, a bill aimed at bringing generic drug manufacturing back to the United States.
The legislation comes in response to the increasing reliance on overseas production, particularly in China and India, where lower costs and less stringent regulations have made them dominant players in the pharmaceutical industry. Tenney argues that this dependence poses risks to both drug safety and supply chain stability.
“Drug manufacturing has moved overseas, putting American jobs and the security of our essential medical supply chains at risk,” Tenney said. “By strengthening tax incentives for domestic drug production, this legislation will help prevent dangerous supply chain disruptions, reinforce our pharmaceutical security, and will create American jobs.”
The PILLS Act would provide tax incentives for pharmaceutical companies that shift all aspects of generic drug manufacturing, including raw materials and testing, to the U.S.
Zach Mottl, chairman of the Coalition for a Prosperous America, called the bill a “critical step” toward reshoring the generic drug industry and reducing dependence on foreign suppliers. Mottl cited statistics showing that since 2002, imports of pharmaceutical products from India have increased 35 times, while imports from China have surged 165 times.
The bill seeks to address an ongoing shortage of essential generic medicines, which account for more than 90% of prescriptions in the U.S. Tenney and supporters of the measure argue that incentivizing domestic production will enhance national security, protect consumers, and create high-quality jobs.
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