Georgia Life Sciences Joins National Coalition Urging Congressional Action on Key Innovation Policies

Georgia Life Sciences has joined 43 state and regional life sciences organizations in signing a national Council of State Bioscience Associations (CSBA) letter calling on Congress to take immediate action on three bipartisan policy priorities that are essential to sustaining U.S. leadership in biomedical innovation and supporting patients nationwide. With Congress back in session and several critical programs at risk of expiring, the letter urges congressional leaders to advance the following provisions without delay:

 

1. Reauthorize the Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher (PPRV) Program

The PPRV program has been instrumental in incentivizing the development of therapies for children with rare and life-threatening conditions. Its lapse threatens to slow or halt research that families across the country are counting on.

 

2. Extend the SBIR/STTR Programs

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs provide crucial early-stage capital for emerging biotech and medtech companies—many of them in Georgia. Without reauthorization, hundreds of innovative small businesses face uncertainty, jeopardizing new therapies, diagnostics, and technologies in the pipeline,

 

3. Advance PBM Transparency Reforms

Greater transparency and accountability within pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) practices are needed to ensure that savings reach patients and employers. Reforming PBM operations is essential to strengthening access and affordability across the healthcare system.

 

A Unified Message from the Life Sciences Community

The sign-on letter reflects broad, bipartisan alignment across the national life sciences ecosystem: researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, patient advocates, and state associations all share a common message—these programs underpin America’s global competitiveness and are vital to patients who rely on continued scientific progress.

 

Georgia Life Sciences has shared the letter with members of Georgia’s congressional delegation and will continue engaging with policymakers to emphasize the importance of swift action.


Read the full CSBA letter here
February 20, 2026
Recognition highlights Brookhaven’s commitment to life sciences growth and biomanufacturing readiness Brookhaven, GA, Feb. 18, 2026 – The City of Brookhaven has been designated a BioReady Gold Community by Georgia Life Sciences, the state’s leading life sciences membership organization. The BioReady Community program evaluates a community’s preparedness to support life sciences development across key areas, including zoning and permitting, utilities and infrastructure, workforce readiness, and coordination among local government and economic development partners. The Gold distinction represents a high level of readiness and alignment with industry needs. “Achieving Gold BioReady status underscores Brookhaven’s commitment to being a competitive destination for life sciences innovation and manufacturing,” said Aaron Szarowicz, City of Brookhaven Economic Development Director. “This designation reflects the intentional investments and partnerships we’ve built to support companies as they scale and create high-quality jobs in our community.” Brookhaven’s BioReady assessment highlighted the City’s modern infrastructure, strategic location within metro Atlanta, access to a skilled workforce, and collaborative approach between City leadership, regional partners, and the business community. Together, these assets position Brookhaven to support companies across the life sciences value chain—from research and development to scale-up and manufacturing. The BioReady rating system evaluates communities across three tiers—Bronze, Silver, and Gold—based on their readiness to attract and support life sciences facilities. Through these ratings, Georgia Life Sciences helps municipalities better showcase biotech-zoned sites, strengthen infrastructure planning, and clearly identify life sciences-friendly locations. This approach enables communities like Brookhaven to compete more effectively for private investment and job creation. Georgia Life Sciences works to advance innovation, strengthen the workforce pipeline, and grow Georgia’s life sciences economy through the BioReady Community program, modeled after MassBio’s nationally recognized rating system which assesses a community’s readiness to host life sciences facilities based on zoning practices and infrastructure capacity. For more information on the non-profit, membership-based organization, visit www.galifesciences.org . For more information about Brookhaven’s economic development initiatives, visit www.BrookhavenGA.gov/EconDev . ### Media Contact: Ann Marie Quill, Assistant Communications Director 404-205-3832 AnnMarie.Quill@BrookhavenGA.gov
February 18, 2026
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