FDA Unveils New Program to Boost Domestic Production of Medications

The FDA indicated that the new PreCheck Program will be rolled out in two phases.

The Food and Drug Administration campus in Silver Spring, Md. Andrew Harnik/AP Photo

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Aug. 7 its new PreCheck Program, designed to increase the United States’ drug supply by simplifying requirements for establishing new U.S. drug-manufacturing facilities.

According to an FDA statement, more than half of the pharmaceuticals distributed in the United States are manufactured abroad. The United States has also relied on foreign sources for many active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), with only 11 percent of the manufacturers currently producing FDA-approved APIs located within the country.