WASHINGTON, DC – Twenty four years after 9/11 and less than 24 hours after the political assassination of conservative media personality and author Charlie Kirk, The Ripon Society hosted a breakfast discussion with U.S. House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee Chairman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), who shared his thoughts on the state of American politics as well as our nation’s health care.
“America is based on ideals, and the very core ideal is that there are certain unalienable rights granted by the Almighty,” Chairman Griffith stated solemnly in his opening remarks. “That ideal, whether it be from the left or the right, whether it be foreign or domestic, is constantly under attack. We saw that on 9/11 from foreign terrorists. We saw that yesterday from an unknown terrorist in the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
“It doesn't matter whether you're on the right or the left, trying to stop free discourse of ideas in the United States – it's just plain wrong, particularly when you use violence to do so.”
Griffith – who was appointed to the Chairmanship in July – then discussed his Subcommittee priorities.
“Drug shortages and domestic manufacturing – I don't think there's any question, we have to bring back manufacturing, particularly of medicines and the active pharmaceutical ingredients in those medicines, we have to bring them back to the United States.”
“The reason I believe that,” he continued, “is that if we have the capability of doing it, then should the Chinese and/or the Indians decide to close this off – and they're the biggest producers of that – because of some kind of international dispute, we have the capability very quickly of ramping up because we have somebody here that's already making that active pharmaceutical ingredient.
“Should we find ourselves in some kind of a cold war or hot war, or just a trade dispute, we need to be prepared to ramp up American production of whatever it is we're going to need, and basic medical supplies is and ought to be at the top of the list.”
Griffith then shared that he represents a hot spot for ALS and urged the FDA to authorize more treatments for diseases without cures.
“I do think the FDA has done a fabulous job. I do believe, and this is one that I do feel strongly about, that they have operated under the shadow of the thalidomide problem, which was legitimate. And they changed everything, as they should have. But today we're looking at so many rare diseases where we might have possibilities, and there isn't any real cure or there isn't any real treatment out there.”
“If we're going to meet the gold standard that was put in place because of the nausea medicine, we're never going to get these problems solved.”
Griffith then discussed the behemoth agency charged with conducting and supporting publicly-funded medical research – the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
“We have to have a few reforms. I believe when you have large agencies that go without aggressive oversight for long periods of time, and they don't examine themselves closely, that things will happen, and it's our job as Members of Congress to try to solve it.”
Griffith – who represents a very rural part of the Commonwealth of Virginia – also discussed the issues facing rural pharmacies including PBMs.
“I’ve got pharmacies in rural areas dropping like flies. Part of it is because of what PBMs are doing, but PBMs have a place, they have a role. I want more information from PBMs. I want them to be more transparent about when the medicine comes in and when the medicine goes out and what the various discounts are for different insurance companies.”
To view the remarks of Chairman Griffith before The Ripon Society Thursday morning, please click the link below:
