Press Releases
04/21/2020
Attorney General Tong Urges 3M to Take Further Measures to Prevent Price Gouging of Personal Protective Equipment
AG Tong joins Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring and 19 attorneys general in letter to 3M urging them to do more to combat inflated prices of N95 respirators and other desperately needed PPE
(Hartford CT) – Attorney General William Tong has joined Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring and 19 attorneys general in urging 3M to do more to combat inflated prices of N95 respirators and other desperately needed personal protective equipment (PPE). There has been a critical shortage of PPE across the country and distributors have been taking advantage of that and charging higher than normal prices for N95 face masks and other PPE. The coalition highlights that, while 3M has committed to maintaining prices for N95 respirators, distributors and others in the marketplace have been charging unconscionable prices.
"3M has a unique and important role in this crisis," Attorney General Tong said. "As a principal manufacturer of respirators and other PPE, 3M has the ability to help manage the supply chain by assisting the government in identifying bad actors and holding them to account. Today, Connecticut and 19 of our sister states are asking 3M to join us in helping protect those who are protecting us."
In the letter, the coalition says “It is crucial that hospitals, healthcare workers, and first responders have access to these masks and other PPE and that they are able to obtain them at reasonable prices so that they can care for patients with COVID-19 as well as others needing medical attention.”
The attorneys general ask 3M to take the following actions, in addition to the steps they have already taken, to try to work towards eliminating price gouging of PPE:
- Continue to publish policies prohibiting price gouging by its distributors and cease doing business with those distributors who violate them.
- Create a database of 3M’s inventory of N95 respirators for government officials and healthcare providers.
- Make transparent how inventory is being distributed and how orders are being filed.
Today’s effort and was led by Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring and joined by the attorneys general of California, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.
- Twitter: @AGWilliamTong
- Facebook: CT Attorney General
Media Contact:
Elizabeth Benton
elizabeth.benton@ct.gov
Consumer Inquiries:
860-808-5318
attorney.general@ct.gov