PRINTER'S NO. 3357
No. 419 Session of 1998
INTRODUCED BY O'BRIEN, E. Z. TAYLOR, GLADECK, FICHTER, TRICH,
BROWNE, COY, CAPPABIANCA, PESCI, HERMAN, CALTAGIRONE, ORIE,
MAITLAND, READSHAW, LAUGHLIN, KIRKLAND, BELARDI, BATTISTO,
OLASZ, HALUSKA, HORSEY, WALKO, TRELLO, STABACK, JOSEPHS,
YOUNGBLOOD, CIVERA, SEYFERT, JAMES, HERSHEY AND RAMOS,
APRIL 1, 1998
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, APRIL 1, 1998
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1 Forming a commission comprised of individuals with expertise in
2 biomedical research, health care, economic development and
3 higher education to assess the level and nature of biomedical
4 research currently conducted by the State's universities and
5 teaching hospitals and to recommend specific and realistic
6 actions for increasing Pennsylvania's share of Federal and
7 private sector biomedical research funding to enhance the
8 State's health care system as well as contribute to the
9 economy.
10 WHEREAS, Pennsylvania's academic institutions are recognized
11 as leaders in identifying and researching public health problems
12 and developing treatments necessary to improve the quality of
13 health care; and
14 WHEREAS, Pennsylvania's institutions of higher learning and
15 biomedical companies are drawing more than $681 million in
16 fiscal year 1997-98 from the National Institutes of Health for
17 biomedical research; and
18 WHEREAS, Biomedical research initiatives are vital to
19 maintaining the quality and strength of Pennsylvania's health
1 care system; and
2 WHEREAS, The health care industry, including research and
3 teaching hospitals, plays a vital role in Pennsylvania's
4 economy, employing more than 550,000 people; and
5 WHEREAS, Recent downsizing trends in the State's hospitals
6 have resulted in the displacement of more than 2,000 health care
7 workers; and
8 WHEREAS, The Executive Branch and General Assembly have
9 aggressively undertaken economic development and job creation
10 initiatives; and
11 WHEREAS, Academic biomedical research results in a more
12 vigorous biomedical industry with the development of new
13 procedures and medications; and
14 WHEREAS, An increased supply of Federal and private funding
15 would support current research efforts to enhance the quality of
16 health care and would contribute to the economic development of
17 this State through job creation; therefore be it
18 RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the House of
19 Representatives direct that a 21-member commission be created to
20 assess the level and nature of biomedical research currently
21 conducted by the State's universities and teaching hospitals;
22 and be it further
23 RESOLVED, That the commission examine Pennsylvania's current
24 research areas and breakthrough research contributions and
25 compare those efforts to other states; and be it further
26 RESOLVED, That the commission recommend specific and
27 realistic actions for increasing Pennsylvania's share of Federal
28 and private sector biomedical research funding to enhance the
29 State's health care system as well as contribute to the economy;
30 and be it further
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1 RESOLVED, That the commission also recommend ways for the
2 Commonwealth to encourage the growth of biomedical research; and
3 be it further
4 RESOLVED, That the first commission meeting take place within
5 60 days of the approval of this resolution, at which time the
6 commission will elect a chairperson; and be it further
7 RESOLVED, That the commission hold hearings, take testimony
8 and make its investigation at such places as it deems necessary
9 in this Commonwealth; and be it further
10 RESOLVED, That the commission be comprised of the presidents
11 or a designee of the following institutions: the Pennsylvania
12 Chamber of Commerce, The Pennsylvania State University School of
13 Medicine and the Hershey Medical Center, University of
14 Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center System,
15 Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pennsylvania
16 Health System, Thomas Jefferson University, Allegheny University
17 of Health Services, Temple University School of Medicine and
18 Temple University Health System, Shriners Hospitals for Children
19 in Philadelphia and Erie, St. Christopher's Hospital for
20 Children, and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; and be it
21 further
22 RESOLVED, That the President pro tempore of the Senate and
23 the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall each appoint
24 two at-large commission members, and the chairman of the Senate
25 Public Health and Welfare Committee and the chairman of the
26 House of Representatives Health and Human Services Committee
27 shall each appoint one at-large commission member; and be it
28 further
29 RESOLVED, That members of the commission shall not receive
30 compensation for their services except for standard travel and
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1 expenses, and that such expenses shall be paid for from funds
2 appropriated to the Joint State Government Commission; and be it
3 further
4 RESOLVED, That this initiative shall receive staff and other
5 administrative support from the Joint State Government
6 Commission; and be it further
7 RESOLVED, That the commission report its finding and
8 recommendations for appropriate action to the Senate Public
9 Health and Welfare Committee and the House of Representatives
10 Health and Human Services Committee by September 30, 1998.
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