An Open Letter to Congress: Protect Innovation

Medical innovation is changing what is possible for patients facing cancer, rare diseases, and other serious health conditions. 

At this year's ASCO conference, researchers unveiled a promising new treatment for pancreatic cancer that, in clinical trials, doubled survival on average for patients with advanced disease. For a cancer that is often diagnosed only after it has spread, with few effective treatment options and low survival rates, this breakthrough offers something many patients desperately need: hope. 

But this progress should be only the beginning, not just for pancreatic cancer patients, but for everyone still waiting for the next breakthrough therapy or cure. Advances like these are made possible by years of research, significant investment, and rigorous clinical development. They are the product of an innovation ecosystem that has made the United States the global leader in biomedical discovery. 

For patients, this progress is more than a scientific achievement. It is a lifeline. Yet continued innovation is not guaranteed. As Congress considers future healthcare policies, lawmakers must protect the conditions that make medical advancements possible. Policies that weaken incentives for research and development would slow the discovery of new treatments and endanger the progress our country has worked so hard to achieve. 

Patients need access to today's treatments and tomorrow's cures. Congress must ensure the United States remains the place where the next breakthrough is discovered, developed, and delivered to patients. 

Sincerely,

Kyle Keeney

CEO, Kentucky Life Sciences Council