Rep. Auchincloss urges U.S. focus on biotech over China protectionism

At the STAT Summit in Boston, Rep. Jake Auchincloss said that Washington should prioritize strengthening the U.S. biotech industry instead of targeting China. He argued that China is rapidly catching up and that protectionist measures would hurt U.S. competitiveness. Auchincloss proposed a bill modeled on Australia’s system to speed early‑stage clinical trials, allowing them to bypass some regulatory review. He added that while trials in the U.S. can’t be cheaper than in China, they should be faster.

Auchincloss also wants to curb the power of pharmacy benefit managers and reform the 340B drug‑discount program. He criticized the FDA’s National Priority Voucher program for being politicized and for awarding vouchers based on political appeals rather than scientific merit. He said that the White House Office of Management and Budget should not override peer‑review recommendations or terminate grants at will. He believes that high standards and funding for curiosity‑driven research are what will keep U.S. biomedical leadership ahead.