VT’s Grumpies Talk IRA with Virginia Acha

In this special Grumpies episode, host Duane Schulthess, CEO of Vital Transformation, is joined by neuroscientist and US Business Director Joe Hammang, consulting economist Dr. Harry Bowen, and MSD Associate VP of Science and Regulatory Policy Virginia “Ginny” Acha. They examine the IRA and question its promise to lower drug prices for Medicare beneficiaries, revealing how it discourages R&D, reroutes venture capital, and restricts patient access.

What You’ll Learn

• Pill Penalty Breakdown: How the 9-year small-molecule vs 13-year biologic exclusivity gap reshapes R&D incentives
• Investor Exodus: The flight of early-stage venture capital and its implications for future cures
• Access vs Cost: Why poorly designed price controls can restrict, not expand, patient access
• Policy Fixes: From the EPIC Act to prize-based innovation rewards, proposed solutions to realign incentives
• Global Threats: Tariff talk, reference pricing pitfalls, and reshoring risks for manufacturing and supply security

This episode is essential for policymakers, industry leaders, and anyone invested in the future of medicine. Download our free IRA impact report at the link below: https://vitaltransformation.com/2025/04/inflation-reduction-act-two-years-on-investor-behavior-rd-impacts-proposed-solutions/

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