A bipartisan commission released a stark warning Tuesday about America’s declining competitive position in biotechnology, urging immediate government action to prevent China from claiming global leadership in this crucial sector.
The National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology,
established through defense legislation in 2022, recommended that the United States invest a minimum of $15 billion over five years to maintain its biotechnology advantages. The commission, comprising 11 members including representatives from both political parties, emphasized the need for swift implementation of new policies and funding mechanisms.
Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.), who chairs the commission, framed the issue as a defining competition between the United States and China that will shape the coming decades. The commission’s two-year investigation revealed China’s rapid advancement in biotechnology capabilities, aided by government industrial policies and aggressive adoption of artificial intelligence tools.
The report highlighted concerns about Chinese companies like WuXi AppTec, a contract manufacturer that was previously targeted by proposed U.S. legislation. Commissioners cautioned against treating Chinese state-affiliated businesses as regular market competitors, even if that means pursuing more expensive alternatives.
Among the commission’s key recommendations is the creation of a National Biotechnology Coordination Office within the White House and the establishment of an Independence Investment Fund to support biotechnology startups. The report also calls for developing a network of precommercial bioindustrial manufacturing facilities and
implementing outbound investment restrictions to prevent U.S. capital from supporting Chinese biotechnology developments that could pose national security risks.
The timing of these recommendations presents challenges, as they come amid the Trump administration’s significant cuts to research funding and extensive layoffs across regulatory agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration. The commission’s emphasis on attracting international scientific talent also conflicts with recent
administration policies that have restricted student visas and targeted academic institutions.
The biotechnology sector is closely monitoring potential tariff impacts, though pharmaceuticals were excluded from President Trump’s latest round of duties announced on April 2. The administration has indicated that import taxes could be used to encourage domestic biomanufacturing investment.
During his White House address on April 2, Trump highlighted recent investments by major pharmaceutical companies in U.S. manufacturing facilities, specifically mentioning Eli Lilly and Johnson & Johnson’s commitments to building new domestic plants.
The commission’s findings suggest that China’s two-decade focus on biotechnology as a strategic priority has positioned it to potentially overtake U.S. leadership in the field. Without significant action within the next three years, the report warns that America risks falling permanently behind in this critical sector.
To maintain competitiveness, the commission outlined dozens of specific recommendations, including measures to protect sensitive biotechnologies from foreign exploitation while fostering domestic innovation. The proposals draw parallels to the successful 2022 CHIPS Act, which provided substantial support for semiconductor
manufacturing and research.
The report emphasizes that maintaining U.S. biotechnology leadership is not just an economic concern but a matter of national security. Commissioners stressed that China’s government involvement in the sector could enable policies designed to strategically disadvantage the United States, making it crucial for America to protect and advance its biotechnology capabilities through coordinated federal action.
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