FLASH Act of 2023

The FLASH Act of 2023 aims to speed up the federal government’s ability to purchase and develop medical supplies during public health emergencies. It grants the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) the authority to bypass certain slow-moving competitive bidding processes when acquiring vaccines, testing materials, and manufacturing supplies needed to respond to pandemics or chemical and nuclear threats.

For citizens, this bill is designed to ensure that life-saving medical countermeasures and diagnostic tests reach the public more quickly during a crisis by reducing bureaucratic delays in the supply chain. Additionally, it empowers federal research agencies to fast-track the development of innovative prototypes for new treatments and medical equipment.