DLA Troop Support pharmacists help boost domestic API production to bolster military medicine

Pharmacists from the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support Medical supply chain are helping drive a federal push to expand domestic production of active pharmaceutical ingredients, a priority highlighted during a recent Department of War pharmaceutical security working group update.

In late July, the team joined DLA Troop Support Acquisition Executive William Kenny to brief the Honorable Keith Bass, Assistant Secretary of War (Health Affairs), on progress supporting U.S.-based drug production and supply chain resilience. The work centers on strengthening the availability of essential medications for military medical treatment facilities and other federal customers by reducing reliance on overseas sources of APIs.

“There are a number of efforts across the federal government supporting the development of industry for the domestic production of APIs,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Josh Stallings, Medical Customer Pharmacy Operations Center. “We are uniquely positioned to advise what private and public partnerships are available for this effort.”

Officials framed the initiative as central to warfighter readiness, with planners seeking more flexible, responsive manufacturing capacity to meet shifting demand. “Manufacturing medicines from start to finish in the United States ensures a secure supply of essential medications,” said Health and Human Services Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response John Knox. “Traditional pharmaceutical manufacturing is often too rigid and slow to adapt to changing demands, especially during national emergencies.”

Congress has directed efforts to build a domestic industrial base for APIs, and the current work is exploring how to scale U.S. production. “Our work with APIs is really a collaborative effort from the top down,” Air Force Lt. Col. Daniel Corwin said. “Congress reviewed the current status of API production and directed the DOW to develop partnerships and examine how to minimize reliance on offshore sources to develop a plan to be self-reliant.”

DLA Troop Support Medical’s Customer Pharmacy Operations Center has been leaning on established relationships across government and industry, including data-sharing and interagency coordination with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, to remove barriers and streamline domestic manufacturing. “The partnerships we form with other agencies and private industry allow us to leverage the domestic pharmaceutical community,” Corwin said. “By tapping into the expertise (of our partners) during a potential adverse event, we can better understand how APIs can best be leveraged in an emergency.”

Kenny said momentum is building behind public–private collaborations aimed at onshoring API production. “There is unprecedented momentum in partnerships supporting the domestic production of APIs,” Kenny said. “These relationships grow stronger daily to frame the onshoring process from start to finish. This is a significant milestone in drug supply chain security crucial to warfighter readiness.”