SUPER BUGS Act of 2022
Bill: H.R.9303 | Sponsor: Rep. Levin, Mike (D-CA)
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Saving Us from Pandemic Era Resistance by Building a Unified Global Strategy Act of 2022 or the SUPER BUGS Act of 2022
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to seek to enter into arrangements with foreign countries, multilateral organizations, and other appropriate entities to facilitate the development and commercialization of qualified pandemic or epidemic products, which include drugs, biological products, and medical devices. HHS shall report to Congress a strategy for achieving this goal.

To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation 
 with the Secretary of State, to formulate a strategy for the Federal 
   Government to secure support from foreign countries, multilateral 
    organizations, and other appropriate entities to facilitate the 
  development and commercialization of qualified pandemic or epidemic 
                   products, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Saving Us from Pandemic Era 
Resistance by Building a Unified Global Strategy Act of 2022'' or the 
``SUPER BUGS Act of 2022''.

SEC. 2. INTERNATIONAL STRATEGY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF QUALIFIED PANDEMIC OR 
              EPIDEMIC PRODUCTS.

    (a) Strategy.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human 
        Services, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall--
                    (A) formulate a strategy for the Federal Government 
                to secure support from foreign countries, multilateral 
                organizations, and other appropriate entities to 
                facilitate the development and commercialization of 
                qualified pandemic or epidemic products, including such 
                products to address antimicrobial resistant pathogens--
                            (i) with pandemic potential; or
                            (ii) that are priority pathogens; and
                    (B) submit such strategy to the appropriate 
                committees of Congress.
            (2) Contents.--The strategy under paragraph (1) shall--
                    (A) provide for the process the Federal Government 
                would use to enter into arrangements with foreign 
                countries, multilateral organizations, and other 
                appropriate entities in certain circumstances;
                    (B) strive to secure equitable contributions among 
                participating countries, organizations, and entities;
                    (C) focus on global priorities but allow 
                participating countries, organizations, and entities to 
                emphasize national or regional issues of importance;
                    (D) seek to ensure such arrangements are harmonized 
                with each other and with other relevant arrangements to 
                prevent duplication of effort and to efficiently 
                distribute funds;
                    (E) provide for collaboration so as to allocate 
                joint or individual responsibility across participating 
                countries, organizations, and entities for the 
                development and commercialization of particular 
                qualified pandemic or epidemic products, where such 
                collaboration is spelled out beforehand in such 
                arrangements;
                    (F) provide for the stewardship of qualified 
                pandemic or epidemic products developed pursuant to the 
                strategy;
                    (G) define criteria so that scarce funds are 
                allocated to advance qualified pandemic or epidemic 
                products that can achieve the greatest positive impact 
                on human health, including unprecedented approaches to 
                preventing, treating, and diagnosing infectious 
                diseases;
                    (H) consider approaches including securing 
                contracts with the private sector, entering into 
                public-private partnerships, implementing alternative 
                payment models, and streamlining regulatory approval 
                processes; and
                    (I) be synchronized with United States pandemic 
                preparedness priorities, such as the U.S. National 
                Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria 
                (CARB).
    (b) Arrangements With Foreign Countries and Multilateral 
Organizations.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in 
consultation with the Secretary of State, shall seek to enter into 
arrangements with foreign countries, multilateral organizations, and 
other appropriate entities to implement the strategy under subsection 
(a).
    (c) Definition.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``priority pathogens'' means pathogens 
        identified in the latest Centers for Disease Control and 
        Prevention Antimicrobial Threats Report, the World Health 
        Organization Global Priority Pathogens List, or a successor 
        report or list.
            (2) The term ``qualified pandemic or epidemic product'' has 
        the meaning given to such term in section 319F-3 of the Public 
        Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d-6b).
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