Issues lobbied + lobbyists (8)
HCR — Health Issues
Pennsylvania is a global leader in researching and developing new therapies, cures, and devices that help patients live longer, healthier lives. This innovation is due in part to the policy and regulatory ecosystem we enjoy in the United States. Life Sciences PA works annually with its Federal Policy Committee and national partners to develop a set of policy issues and recommendations that will support and enhance the countrys life sciences ecosystem and maintains Pennsylvanias leadership in life sciences innovation. As the statewide Trade Association for the Life Sciences, our Public Policy advocacy work remains to engage and educate the Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation to incentivize innovation and protect patient access.
Government entities lobbied: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE
MMM — Medicare/Medicaid
As the statewide Trade Association for the Life Sciences, our Public Policy advocacy work remains to engage and educate the Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation to incentivize innovation and protect patient access. Ensuring Patient Access to Critical Breakthrough Products Act (HR 5343/S1717). This legislation provides Medicare coverage for medical devices approved through the FDAs Breakthrough Devices Program. Without this legislation, devices receiving the Breakthrough Device designation and approval must often wait upwards of two to three years for payment codes from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Without this legislation, patients in Medicare face coverage and reimbursement delays in access to life-changing innovations.
Government entities lobbied: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE
MED — Medical/Disease Research/Clinical Labs
Life Sciences PA supports a robust NIH budget as well as opportunities for Pennsylvania to maintain its leadership role with continued collaborative grant support including the DOD, EDA and NSF. The NIH is the leading investor worldwide in basic scientific research. This funding supports the crucial first step in life sciences investment through discovery and understanding of human biology and physiology. Pennsylvania research institutions and small companies received more than $2 billion in NIH funding in 2023 and, in many cases, hold contractual agreements with the NIH. This research also leads to spin-out companies and technology transfer that perpetuate the cycle of innovation in the Commonwealth. This cut threatens continued research and development in potential treatments and cures for patients. Life Sciences PA joined Pennsylvania patients and researchers at the Rally for Medical Research encouraging Congress to support the highest possible appropriation increase recommended by the medical research community and to complete the FY2026 appropriations process in a timely manner to avoid additional disruptions to the life sciences ecosystem.
Government entities lobbied: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE
BUD — Budget/Appropriations
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Reauthorization Innovative research and the development of groundbreaking medicines, therapeutics and diagnostics is a top priority for life science companies throughout Pennsylvania. These innovations require an abundance of resources, which is why support at both the federal and state levels is important. Many of these companies rely on SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) funds as a critical component to moving their work forward. The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs help translate cutting-edge discoveries into real-world solutions - driving economic growth, creating jobs, and improving public health. These programs are currently scheduled to expire September 30, 2025. Life Sciences PA supports the permanent reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, created in 1982 and 1992, respectively. While not life sciences specific, these two programs fund domestic small businesses engaging in research and development on the path to technology commercialization. In 2021, the SBIR program funded more than $30 million in life sciences research in Pennsylvania. This funding has helped many of our small member companies grow and thrive. H.R.5100 INNOVATE Act.
Government entities lobbied: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE
TAX — Taxation/Internal Revenue Code
Previously, Section 174 of the US Tax code allowed businesses to deduct research and experimentation expenses in the same taxable year in which they occurred. Currently, businesses must amortize such deductions over five years for domestic expenditures or over 15 years for foreign expenditures. Life Sciences Pennsylvania supports the American Innovation and R&D Competitiveness Act which will fix this issue that adversely affects adversely affects many of our pre-revenue and early stage member companies. In a bipartisan manner, the majority of the Pennsylvania delegation has previously voted in favor of the repeal of Section 174 so that smaller companies can resume investing maximal resources in critical R&D.
Government entities lobbied: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE
SCI — Science/Technology
Pennsylvania is a global leader in researching and developing new therapies, devices and diagnostics that help patients live longer, healthier lives. This innovation is due in part to the policy and regulatory ecosystem we enjoy in the United States.The Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher Program (PPRV) incentivizes the development of novel therapies to treat rare pediatric diseases. This program was not reauthorized by the end of 2024 and has therefore expired. The reauthorization of this vital program would be extended to September 30, 2029. The full US House of Representatives has not yet voted on this legislation. The Senate version of Give Kids a Chance Act of 2025 (S.932) was introduced in March and is awaiting any movement from the Senate HELP Committee.
Government entities lobbied: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE
CPT — Copyright/Patent/Trademark
Strong intellectual property protections are the foundation for innovation in the life sciences. The U.S. patent system, though now ranked 12th worldwide by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, maintains important protections for companies researching and developing new medicines and technologies. These protections are especially important for the many small life sciences companies that call Pennsylvania home, and for the technology transfer offices that many of our academic institutions operate to move inventions from the lab to widely available treatments and cures for patients. The University and Small Business Patent Procedures Act Of 1980, more commonly called the Bayh-Dole Act, provides recipients of federal research funding the right to retain ownership of the inventions that were conceived or first actually reduced to practice under their federal funding agreements. Intended to promote utilization of inventions arising from federally supported R&D and increase the number of inventions that progressed from the laboratories into the marketplace. Four decades on, changes to these policies would dramatically disrupt the already fragile ecosystem of academic research institutions, industry partners as well as private investment into treatments that have the potential to extend life expectancy in patients. This does not accurately account for the significant time and resources private investment organizations and companies make to research and develop safe, effective, and usable medicines. Life Sciences Pennsylvania and the academic research institutions as well as R&D based companies that call Pennsylvania home, understand the importance of the strong intellectual property protections that we have in the U.S. Exercising march-in rights will significantly disrupt an innovation ecosystem that already faces challenging odds developing novel therapies and technologies for unmet medical needs. Life Sciences Pennsylvania joins the Partnership for the U.S. Life Science Ecosystem (PULSE) in sharing the unique nature of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) within our membership. To successfully bring cutting edge breakthroughs from bench to bedside-from the earliest NIH funded research in the academic setting through large scale manufacturing, mergers and acquisitions are a cornerstone of the American success of innovation. DOJ and FTC regulatory changes should be nuanced in this space.
Government entities lobbied: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE
TAR — Tariff (miscellaneous tariff bills)
American medical device manufactures are subject to rigorous regulations. The FDA must approve any shift in manufacturing sites to ensure continued product safety and effectiveness. Relocating operations involves revalidating all processes and equipment, a complex undertaking that can take years. Delays in this process could threaten timely access to essential technologies, especially for patients with unmet medical needs. The medical device presence in Pennsylvania is significant, supporting high-quality jobs in manufacturing and research and development in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Bellefonte, Bethlehem and across the Commonwealth. Employment in the sector has outpaced general manufacturing job growth in recent years, thanks in part to sound tax policies such as the repeal of the medical device tax and recent legislative reforms. Careers in medical device manufacturing also tend to offer higher wages than other manufacturing sectors. The strength of the American medical device sector is a strategic asset. Our ability to manage complex supply chains ensures that American patients have access to the medical technologies they need, when they need them. As policy changes emerge from the federal Executive Branch, we will continue to monitor and provide our member companies perspectives on the staff changes at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; NIH funding freezes; and tariffs; all of which have increased uncertainty in our industry. We are closely monitoring additional staff changes at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The departure of individuals that have a deep understanding of the industry and considerable institutional expertise, could create delays and issues for our members - something we will be following closely. Life Sciences PA will continue to encourage the Pennsylvania Congressional delegation to support the efforts of our members to improve health globally and the economic growth of our Commonwealth.
Government entities lobbied: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; SENATE