Industry Groups Push for Eliminating "Pill Penalty" in Reconciliation Package

Industry stakeholders are advocating for key healthcare policy changes to be included in an upcoming Republican domestic policy bill expected to pass along party lines. PhRMA and Incubate, a nonprofit supporting venture capital firms, are prominently backing bipartisan legislation that would address disparities in the Inflation Reduction Act's drug price negotiation timeline.

 

The Ensuring Pathways to Innovative Cures (EPIC) Act, reintroduced by two North Carolina Republicans and one Democrat, aims to extend the negotiation eligibility period for small molecule drugs from seven years after FDA approval to eleven years - matching the timeline currently applied to biologics.

 

"This is our priority one, two and three," stated John Stanford, executive director of Incubate. The industry argues this "pill penalty" correction is crucial as venture capital firms are already shifting investments away from small molecule drugs due to the shortened exclusivity period.

 

Additionally, bipartisan support is building for pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reforms that could be incorporated into the reconciliation package. "Both sides agree on this issue. It's not an issue of contention," noted Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) during a recent House Energy & Commerce subcommittee hearing.

 

Other healthcare bills seeking inclusion include legislation to reauthorize the rare pediatric priority review voucher program and a controversial proposal from Texas Republicans that would allow reciprocal drug approvals from certain foreign countries - a measure critics warn could undermine FDA authority.

 

For comprehensive coverage of these developing healthcare policy initiatives, please visit Endpoints News.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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

December 10, 2025
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.

GLS Joins Georgia Partners in Calling for Federal PBM Reform

December 7, 2025
Georgia Life Sciences is proud to stand with patient advocates, providers, and employers across the state in urging Congress to take meaningful action on pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reform. We recently signed on to a joint letter to Georgia’s Congressional Delegation stressing the urgent need for transparency, fair practices, and policies that ensure savings flow directly to patients.

GLS’ President and CEO, Maria Thacker Goethe in December's issue of Georgia Trend

December 4, 2025
Georgia Life Sciences’ CEO, Maria Thacker Goethe shares her perspective on the value of Georgia’s research universities in this month’s issue of Georgia Trend. “Georgia research institutions have felt a very significant impact from the federal rollbacks, specifically in NIH and NSF funding. Thacker Goethe’s message about the impact of research cuts is simple: Disruption shatters the foundational trust researchers have in grant continuity….” To read the full article, click here .
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