Scott Whitaker, CEO of AdvaMed, the medical device industry's largest trade group,sent a letter to President Joe Biden June 22on behalf of the industry urging the president to make the transport of medical supplies a top priority as the administration works to address larger supply chain bottlenecks across the U.S.
The U.S. has faced significant supply chain issues since the start of the pandemic, including container shortages, limited unloading space and insufficient trucking capacity, Mr. Whitaker said. The challenges continue as purchasing behavior has "dramatically shifted during the pandemic," he wrote in the letter.
While the U.S. works to address issues across the supply chain industry, AdvaMed is urging the president to prioritize medical supply and equipment companies, saying that while the organization appreciates that many industries are affected by supply disruptions, "we believe the implications for the healthcare system and patient care are imperative as we head into the fall, which brings with it flu season and uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 variants in unvaccinated populations."
Mr. Whiteaker said that supply chain challenges have impeded the medical supply industry's ability to deliver healthcare products and have significantly driven up costs. He said AdvaMed would "welcome the opportunity" to speak directly with the White House to discuss the issues specifically affecting medical supply companies and share the organization's recommendations for easing some of the industry's challenges.
Read the full letterhere.