The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the degree of over-regulation of the U.S. healthcare system. The healthcare system is addicted to nepotism and regulatory capture, and public and private bureaucracies invest in the status quo to make it permanent.
However, under the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), consistent and sustained attention to vaccines may be a game changer.
So far, the FDA has Three vaccines approved For COVID-19. In order to qualify for EUA, vaccine manufacturers must successfully complete initial safety and effectiveness tests. It is worth mentioning that speeding up the approval process is likely to translate into FDA approval of Pfizer vaccines at an unprecedented speed (and possibly) next month, and Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines may follow suit soon thereafter.
Unfortunately, for millions of Americans with other rare diseases, the time and cost of obtaining approval for potentially life-saving drugs and treatments is unbearable and close to cruel and unusual punishment.
On average, it takes 12 years and 2.6 billion U.S. dollars Bring a new drug from the laboratory to the market. For many start-up companies, the funding hurdles for these stringent clinical trials are insurmountable. Of course, the FDA’s approval of safe and effective drugs on the market is a reasonable authorization.
However, as demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is possible to speed up approvals and bring safe and effective drugs to the market faster.
Patients with rare diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) ask the FDA to give the same considerationThe three COVID-19 vaccines approved in record time set a strong precedent for other patient groups; hopefully this is a new standard that will stimulate the reform of the current drug approval process and make patient-centered care become The first task is to avoid bureaucratic delays.
recent Learn It was found that during the pandemic, more than 40% of patients postponed or avoided medical procedures and appointments for fear of contracting COVID-19, which further exposed the pressure on the U.S. healthcare system from the availability of medical services.
The telemedicine service long advocated by observers of the American healthcare system has become an option almost overnight. Literally, telemedicine services bring healthcare services to patients through apps or phone calls.
American innovation has led to technological advances such as telemedicine, but government barriers, including licensing laws that favor political-related occupations, restrict the use of telemedicine. During the crisis, it is vital that regulations be revoked at the state and federal levels during the pandemic. The expansion and widespread adoption of telemedicine services should become permanent and expanded. Telemedicine services provide care for people who are difficult to reach, and will ultimately save lives, while reducing the cost of providers and patients.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Proof of Need (CON) law was also widely repealed and suspended.
These laws create barriers to entry for emerging healthcare facilities and treatments or existing facilities that wish to expand. These laws result in higher costs, less access, and lower quality of care.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, The cost of health care in states with CON is 11% higher than states without CON. Likewise, due to these intrusive laws, the number of hospital beds, personal protective equipment, and healthcare facilities are limited during a pandemic.
Countries using CON There are fewer hospitals and outpatient surgery centers. Unfortunately, rural communities have been the hardest hit due to legal restrictions on the development of new facilities that are most needed.This is why 24 states Those implementing the CON law have either suspended some of them or activated emergency provisions to meet the needs of patients during the pandemic.
In this unprecedented period, policy makers and healthcare professionals use the COVID-19 pandemic as a reason to review and reassess the effectiveness of our overburdened and regulated healthcare system.
The pandemic allowed us to reflect on our country’s healthcare system, and we found that once we return to normal, we should permanently deregulate. Encouragingly, in past legislative meetings, state legislators have made great strides in reforming or repealing these laws.
The silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic is to expose the deficiencies of our healthcare system and provide opportunities for improvement.
Christina Mistress ([email protected]) Is the government relations manager of The Heartland Institute, a non-partisan free market think tank based in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
