WASHINGTON, DC – Mark Leahey, President and CEO of the Medical Device Manufacturers Association (MDMA), issued the following statement today on the “American Research and Competitiveness Act of 2011,” which would strengthen the research and development tax credit and make it permanent:
“We applaud Representatives Brady, Larson, Paulsen and Eshoo for their leadership on an issue that is critical to medical technology entrepreneurs and innovators. In order to...
Legislation was introduced this week that would reauthorize the Small Business Administration's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBTT) programs. MDMA is currently reviewing the Senate legislation and will continue to advocate that any legislation to reauthorize the SBIR program includes language that adequately addresses the SBA restriction on venture-...
MDMA testified before the House Committee on Small Business this week to describe the anticompetitive problems associated with the supplier-funded GPO model and certain dominant firm conduct. Representing MDMA was Said Hilal, CEO of Applied Medical Resources Group. The purpose of the hearing was to examine the lack of oversight and enforcement by DOJ and FTC of anticompetitive practices across a broad spectrum of industries. Hilal accurately highlighted two critical competition issue in the...
MDMA testified before the House of Representatives Committee on Small Business regarding reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. MDMA's testimony focused on the importance the program has had in the development of medical technologies. MDMA also recommended that the reauthorization legislation include changes to current law and regulations including an increase in Phase I and Phase II grant levels and refining the small business ownership definition to...
President and Chief Executive Officer of Synapse Biomedical, Anthony Ignagni, testified before the House Science and Technology Subcommittee on Technology about the ways in which the SBIR program could be more effective in achieving its goals. Specifically, he made three concrete recommendations to improve the program:
The Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee approved the Small Business Administration reauthorization bill. Senator Bond's amendment allowing majority ventured back companies to participate in up to 25% of the total SBIR Program was approved by voice vote. As you know, MDMA has been working in collaboration with other associations to restore eligibility of small business concerns that are owned in majority part by venture capital companies.
The Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee held a hearing on the "Strengthening Participation of Small Business in Federal Contracting and Innovation Research Programs." While the current bill reauthorizing the Small Business Administration does not include a provision regarding Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants, the majority of the hearing focused on the SBIR issue. MDMA continues to work with other associations in Washington to get legislation passed allowing...
Rep. Melissa Hart (R-PA) recently introduced HR 5115, titled the U.S. Healthcare Technologies Competitiveness Act. This legislation seeks to modernize the tax code so that biotechnology and medical device companies can more easily attract and access capital, while making necessary investments in R&D, equipment and innovation. The bill will modernize the tax laws both in the corporate and investor area and eliminate disincentives that inhibit investment in medical technology companies...
On the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) front, MDMA has been able to make good progress. Two members of Congress - Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) and Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA) on the Small Business Committee have decided to co-sponsor legislation, HR 2943, introduced by Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO), which would overturn the Small Business Administration's interpretation of the 51% rule. This rule means that in order to qualify for a SBIR grant, a business must be "small" (fewer than 500 employees)...
