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# Schumer Pushes Drug Shortage Legislation
- URL: https://www.fdaweb.com/schumer-pushes-drug-shortage-legislation/
- Published: 2023-06-27T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-14T18:41:14.000Z
- Author: David McFarland
- Tags: Drugs, #legacy-id-D5154776

Senate majority leader **Chuck Schumer** (D-NY) says Congress should approve a four-prong legislative solution to the growing nationwide problem of drug shortages. He also called on FDA to activate a plan to limit shortages.

Speaking at a hospital in upstate New York, Schumer [said](https://www.schumer.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/schumer-with-over-295-critical-drugs-from-cancer-to-everyday-generics-in-short-supply-in-capital-region-and-across-america-calls-on-fda-to-activate-plan-to-limit-shortages-and-reveals-his-4-prong-legislative-solution-to-address-mounting-shortage-hitting-communities-in-capital-region-and-across-upstate-ny?ref=fdaweb.com), “I am not only calling on FDA to act immediately and do everything in its power to mitigate this shortage, but I am also urging Congress to take action and solve this issue for good.”

Schumer says that by the end of 2022, there were shortages of 295 critical drugs, including both hospital-based and pharmacy-based drugs. The core reasons for shortages, he said, include insufficient manufacturing, lack of transparency, and reliance on foreign companies.

The senator’s four-prong plan would draft legislation to:

- give more transparency and insight into drug shortages;
- ensure there are enough manufacturers producing drugs at enough volume to have reserve and contingency supplies;
- improve production safety and quality; and
- incentivize domestic manufacturing and onshoring.

While some drug shortages can be mitigated by prescribing a different medication form or a therapeutic alternative, he said, “that process is both challenging and time-consuming and not always the perfect replacement for the drug that is in short supply. Additionally, some drugs that are not available have no other replacement option.”