North Indy News

U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) and John F. Crowley, President and CEO of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, have raised concerns about the United States potentially losing its lead in biotechnology to China. In a column published by Newsweek on October 30, 2025, they warn that American dominance in life-saving medical discoveries and advanced biotechnologies could be at risk if urgent action is not taken.

"Picture a world where most life-saving medicines are discovered not in the United States, but in Beijing and Shanghai. Imagine a time when the most advanced biotechnologies—therapies that cure cancer and Alzheimer’s, protect us from pandemics and fuel our economy—are controlled not by America, but by our chief global adversary. That is the future we risk drifting into soon if we do not act now to secure and advance American dominance in biotechnology," they wrote.

The authors point out that while the U.S. currently leads globally in biotechnology, China has made significant progress over the past decade. Chinese biotech firms have increased from around 100 to more than 3,000 since 2016. The value of these firms has also grown substantially during this period. Additionally, China now conducts more than a quarter of global clinical trials compared to just three percent in 2013.

"This is no ordinary competition. The biotech race is the defining technological contest of the 21st century—just as the Space Race defined the 20th. But this time, there may be no dramatic 'Sputnik moment' to jolt us into action," they stated.

Senator Young chairs the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB), which earlier this year warned that if China overtakes America in this field "no matter how fast we run, we will never catch up."

They argue that biotechnology is more than an industry; it is a strategic asset for national security and economic prosperity. According to their column, biotech contributes nearly seven percent of U.S. private-sector GDP and supports approximately ten million jobs across all states.

Despite these challenges, Young and Crowley believe America still has advantages such as leading research institutions, strong intellectual property protections, robust capital markets, and an entrepreneurial culture.

"But if we want to stay in front, we need a national effort equal to the stakes," they wrote.

Their recommendations include continued federal support for basic research—which underpins many private sector breakthroughs—and new policy solutions suggested by NSCEB: making biotechnology a national priority with White House-level coordination; integrating it into defense planning; treating biological data as strategic; building a skilled workforce; partnering with allies on supply chains; funding collaborative R&D; and reducing regulatory barriers for innovators.

They caution against weakening patent protections or introducing policies that might deter investment or slow drug development because U.S. firms already face risks like intellectual property theft from China.

"We stand at a crossroads. America can either cede the future of biotechnology to our adversaries or summon the vision and resolve to lead it," Young and Crowley concluded.