By Jessica Hyland, op-ed in The Gazette

May 13, 2025

U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks has distinguished herself as a champion for patients by supporting policies that lower costs without sacrificing innovation. She recognizes that medical breakthroughs don’t happen by accident—they require years of research, investment, and commitment. Striking the right balance between affordability and innovation is no easy task, but Rep. Miller-Meeks consistently rises to the challenge.

Just recently Miller-Meeks co-sponsored the Ensuring Pathways for Innovative Cures (EPIC) Act, which is a critical step toward fixing a flaw in current law that could jeopardize the development of the next generation of oral medicines, like pills and tablets.

Right now, under the Inflation Reduction Act, small-molecule drugs—those typically taken as pills—are subject to government price-setting just nine years after approval, while biologics (often delivered via infusion) are protected for thirteen years. This “pill penalty” unintentionally discourages the development of oral therapies, even when they’re safer, more convenient, and more accessible for patients. The EPIC Act would level the playing field by giving all medicines the same window of time before price controls apply—preserving incentives to develop treatments that patients can use at home.

Ensuring balanced incentives for small and large molecule drugs is critical since small molecule drugs are typically the easiest for patients to access. Pills and tablets taken orally at home present the lowest barrier to managing conditions both acute and chronic. While many, many patients have benefitted from biologics, they often must travel to a clinical setting to receive these types of treatments and in rural states like Iowa this can be a significant hurdle to ongoing treatment. The EPIC Act ensures that investments continue to be made into small molecule pills.

Miller-Meeks’ sponsorship of the EPIC Act shows once again her commitment to smart policymaking that prioritizes patients and the innovative treatment they depend on. She brings real-world expertise and common sense to one of the most pressing issues in healthcare.

I hope her colleagues in D.C. will follow her example and lend their support to the EPIC Act as well so we can continue to lead in the development of new treatments, including small molecule treatments.

Jessica Hyland is executive director of the Iowa Biotechnology Association. 

To read the original op-ed piece, please visit The Gazette.