Today Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (CA-18) voted for the government funding package that includes $1 billion to fund the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, or ARPA-H. We are one step closer to our goal for patients everywhere.

On February 8th, The Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Energy and Commerce held a hearing, ARPA-H: The Next Frontier of Biomedical Research, including testimony from Dr. Geoffrey Ling, Col. (Ret).

The Suzanne Wright Foundation proposed the establishment of HARPA in 2017 to address pancreatic cancer and other diseases that have not benefitted from the current system. We have been relentless in our efforts ever since. In addition to our advocacy with the last administration, our team worked closely with the Biden campaign throughout 2020 to be sure that HARPA became a priority in a new administration.

We are proud to update you with the news that President Biden has announced his support for an Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (HARPA). You can read about the President’s announcement in his joint address to Congress on April 28, 2021 HERE. The President has formally proposed $6.5 billion in the FY 2021-2022 budget for the agency and Congress is currently reviewing this proposal.

In order for HARPA to deliver on its potential, it is essential that it is structured like DARPA – operating as an independent agency with urgency, accountability and results. HARPA would leverage discovery-based research at the NIH, Department of Defense and other federal agencies, while catalyzing the private sector to drive meaningful innovation that will save millions of lives and billions of dollars.

Patient advocacy groups and industry leaders across the field have joined our efforts. During these critical months of budget negotiation, we remain focused on establishing HARPA as an agency that can hit the ground running and deliver results for the millions of patients and their families who have been waiting.

You can read a Fast Company article about our Foundation’s contribution to this effort HERE.  As always, thank you for your continued support.

The Biden administration is contemplating creating a research agency to help fund breakthroughs that aren’t economically viable for big health and pharmaceutical companies. Meet HARPA.