Senator Hassan Statement on Administration’s Agreement with Smiths Medical to Manufacture Vaccine Supplies in Keene, NH

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan released the following statement on the administration partnering with Smiths Medical for the manufacturing of hypodermic needle and syringe products in Keene, NH. These medical supplies would help administer a potential COVID-19 vaccine.

“When it is time to distribute a vaccine, Americans cannot afford a repeat of the administration’s failures around COVID-19 testing supplies and personal protective equipment,” said Senator Hassan. “The administration must do everything possible to prepare now for a potential vaccine, and part of that is ramping up the production of needles and syringes. I’m very glad that Granite Staters at Smiths Medical will be able to help with producing these critical medical supplies so that we can hopefully save countless lives.”

Senator Hassan has been pushing administration officials to begin preparing now for a potential vaccine. During a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing earlier this year, Senator Hassan asked Dr. Anthony Fauci about what is needed to mass produce and distribute a potential COVID-19 vaccine. Senators Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen also previously called on the administration to address concerns regarding the domestic supply chain for hypodermic needles and syringes needed to administer a COVID-19 vaccine. The Senators are also calling for at least $5.6 billion in federal funding to develop and support the infrastructure that would be necessary to deploy a potential COVID-19 vaccine.

###