HIDA And AdvaMed Warn New York Officials On Medical Product Stockpiling Mandate
Medical industry trade groups raise concerns that NY stockpiling mandate will exacerbate shortages of crucial COVID supplies
August 13, 2020
Two key trade associations representing medical products distributors and medical device and diagnostics manufacturers warned the New York Health Department and the Governor’s Office that the state’s recently enacted mandate that healthcare facilities maintain a 90-day stockpile of critical supplies could jeopardize product availability during the current pandemic.
The Health Industry Distributors Association (HIDA) and the Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed) urged the state to utilize the private sector’s innovation and experience with manufacturing, storage, warehousing and technology to help meet New York’s public health goals. The groups cautioned that the mandates are likely to increase near-term supply shortages of products such as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) nationwide – and may be impossible for hospitals and nursing homes to meet in the immediate future.
“Stockpiling puts supplies on a storage shelf at a time when PPE and other pandemic supplies are needed on healthcare’s frontline,” said HIDA President and CEO Matthew J. Rowan. “Leveraging existing distribution channel infrastructure can be an alternative to the significant procurement and logistics expense of stockpiling.”
Using supply chain expertise “will avoid the risk of product expiration, theft, damage, and waste,” the groups wrote in a recent letter to the NY Health Department and Governor’s Office. “Further, we are concerned that hospitals in New York will not be able to meet the logistical challenge of this stockpiling requirement. A 90-day supply for a 350-bed hospital requires 5,700 square feet of space, which is the equivalent of approximately 15 tractor trailers.”
HIDA and AdvaMed recommended that New York establish an industry council to provide expertise, guidance, and assistance to the state regarding pandemic preparedness. In turn, the groups offered technical assistance and expertise regarding: