Protect—Don't Discard -- America’s Global R&D Leadership for Future Medical Breakthroughs

Chronic disease is the leading cause of death and disability in our country. And in some cases, patients’ hope after diagnosis resides with the pharmaceutical industry’s research & development efforts – which totals more than $100 billion in investments a year - the essential backbone to discovering and developing medications that will enable a healthier tomorrow for patients and their loved ones.

But a real threat is still looming in Washington, and the innovation happening in Boehringer Ingelheim’s labs and the innovation happening across the life science industry is in danger due to the poorly designed legislation pending in the U.S. Senate, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, a one-sided Budget Reconciliation bill. Scientific research and progress are being directly threatened and patients’ hope for the future are in peril. The latest plan has the following, potentially catastrophic implications:

• Potentially sacrifices upwards of 100 new treatments over the next two decades by taking billions of dollars away from life science R&D.
• Leaves many patients without future, life-saving therapeutics for devastating conditions, the cost of which, if left unsolved, will overwhelm families and our health care system and dwarf any “savings” promised in this short-term, short- sighted legislation.
• Devalues and disincentivizes the significant amount of post-approval R&D that happens following a medicine’s initial approval. Often times, R&D efforts pick up signals after a medicine is approved that indicate it may work in patients that have an earlier stage of the illness or even another disease. For example, nearly 60% of oncology medicines approved a decade ago received additional indications for other types of cancer.

At Boehringer Ingelheim, we work tirelessly to develop ground-breaking medicines to address the greatest unmet medical needs with the purpose of improving patients’ health and wellbeing today, tomorrow and for generations to come. And when faced with legislative proposals that threaten the future of medical innovation, we are compelled to add our voices to the discussion to protect the ability of the scientific community to invest in necessary R&D to drive vital medical advancements.

While there is work ahead for all of us to streamline the health care system and lower costs for patients at the pharmacy counter, sacrificing future treatments and cures is not the answer. I proudly stand with Boehringer Ingelheim to be a resource and collaborate on meaningful solutions that will support patients, their families and innovation that will enhance lives with future therapies, medicines, and cures.