TL/DR –
U.S. House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee Chairman Morgan Griffith gave a talk at the Ripon Society, addressing the state of American politics and healthcare. Griffith stated the need for enhancing domestic manufacturing of medicines, arguing that reliance on foreign producers can be dangerous in times of international disputes. He also discussed the need for reforms in the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a need for more transparency in pharmacies, and urged the FDA to authorize more treatments for diseases without cures.
Griffith Discusses US Health Care and Political Climate at Ripon Society Breakfast
Just 24 years post 9/11 and a day after the tragic assassination of conservative media personality Charlie Kirk, The Ripon Society organized a breakfast forum featuring Morgan Griffith, Chairman of the U.S. House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee. Griffith shared insights into US politics and health care, expressing concern about the erosion of free discourse and ideological diversity in America.
“America thrives on ideals and unalienable rights granted by the Almighty,” Griffith declared. “The freedom to express ideas, regardless of political alignment or origin, is constantly under threat. We witnessed this with 9/11’s foreign terrorists, and yesterday’s domestic terrorist assassination of Charlie Kirk.”
Griffith, appointed Chairman in July, discussed his focus on addressing drug shortages and enhancing domestic manufacturing. He strongly advocated for the return of medicine manufacturing to the United States, emphasizing the need for self-sufficiency.
“We need to ensure we can maintain our medical supply in the face of international disputes. If the major producers like China and India cut us off, we need the capability to quickly ramp up production domestically,” Griffith stated.
Griffith, representing an ALS hotspot, called on the FDA to authorize more treatments for incurable diseases. He acknowledges the FDA’s commendable work but argued that the agency must step out from the thalidomide shadows and be more proactive in addressing rare diseases.
He further voiced his concerns about the lack of oversight at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the need for reforms to enhance transparency. Griffith also highlighted the struggles of rural pharmacies in Virginia, pointing fingers at Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and urging greater transparency from them.
Click to Watch Griffith’s Full Address
The Ripon Society, established in 1962, is a public policy organization that fosters the principles which helped build America and the GOP, including national security, low taxes, and accountable federal governance.
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