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US FDA's Gottlieb Warns Congress Of Shortages, Potential Job Losses In Puerto Rico

 
• By Sue Darcey

Medical-product manufacturers in Puerto Rico took a major hit from Hurricane Maria, but some are slowly getting back up to speed as portions of the island's electrical grid go back online and additional generator power is deployed by device and drug companies, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb told a US congressional panel Tuesday. But he warned that some facilities are "'sole-source" providers of devices and drugs, and that some longer-term government support may be needed to prevent future product losses.

Puerto Rico Political Map

Because Puerto Rico is a "substantial base of medical product manufacturing," FDA has been working hard with other federal agencies and the governor of the US territory to restore power at device and drug facilities on the island to ensure their ability to manufacture needed devices and drugs, following the devastation of Hurricane Maria, US FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb told a congressional oversight panel Oct. 24.

"Approximately 9,000 medical product firms in the path of the storms [at all hurricane sites] were identified for follow-up by FDA; the agency has reached 60% of those firms and more than 200 site visits are

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