Incubate Launches Seven-Figure Ad Campaign Nationwide to Urge Congress to End the Pill Penalty
- Incubate Coalition
- Mar 31
- 2 min read
WASHINGTON (March 31) -- Today, Incubate launched a seven-figure advertising campaign nationwide calling on Congress to pass the bipartisan Ensuring Pathways to Innovative Cures (EPIC) Act and eliminate the "pill penalty" that threatens patient access to lifesaving treatments.
The campaign is running across the country, and its dedicated website features data from Incubate's interactive Life Sciences Investment Tracker as well as an easy-to-use form for visitors to contact their representatives in Congress.
"The EPIC Act is a smart, bipartisan fix that would preserve American leadership in the fight to cure cancer and Alzheimer's disease," said Incubate executive director John Stanford. "By ending the pill penalty in the Inflation Reduction Act, Congress can get American scientists back to work to develop the cures patients need."
Under current law, small-molecule drugs -- often pills that are taken orally -- are only exempt from Medicare price setting for nine years, while biologic drugs receive a 13-year exemption. This discrepancy discourages investors and companies from developing small-molecule treatments, which are often more affordable and easier for patients to take at home. The EPIC Act would end this pill penalty by establishing a 13-year exemption period from price controls for both drug types, promoting investment in the most promising science.
Since the IRA was signed into law, 24 drugs and 48 research programs have already been discontinued.
"Misguided policy shouldn't get in the way of funding and developing the cures patients are waiting for," Stanford added. "We're making sure Congress hears that message loud and clear."
To learn more, visit endpillpenalty.com
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About Incubate
Incubate is a 501(c)(4) organization of venture capital firms representing the patient, corporate, and investment communities. Our primary aim is to educate policymakers on the role of venture capital in bringing promising treatments to patients in need.