HR 294 — A Resolution directing the Joint State Government Commission to establish an advisory committee and, in collaboration with the advisory committee, conduct a study on impediments to interspecialty and interdisciplinary medical research and the most promising means of incorporating emerging technologies into medical research.

PRINTER'S NO.   2221

                  THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



           HOUSE RESOLUTION
              No. 294
                                              Session of
                                                2025

     INTRODUCED BY HOWARD, VENKAT, HILL-EVANS, RIVERA, WAXMAN, MAYES,
        FREEMAN, HOHENSTEIN AND SANCHEZ, AUGUST 14, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AND
        OPERATIONS, AUGUST 15, 2025


                               A RESOLUTION
 1   Directing the Joint State Government Commission to establish an
 2      advisory committee and, in collaboration with the advisory
 3      committee, conduct a study on impediments to interspecialty
 4      and interdisciplinary medical research and the most promising
 5      means of incorporating emerging technologies into medical
 6      research.
 7      WHEREAS, This Commonwealth is experiencing unprecedented
 8   scientific progress across all fields of inquiry; and
 9      WHEREAS, This Commonwealth has long been a center for
10   advances in medicine and biomedical technology; and
11      WHEREAS, One of the central challenges slowing medical
12   advancement is the volume and complexity of discoveries across
13   different specializations and scientific disciplines, which can
14   limit cross-disciplinary collaboration; and
15      WHEREAS, Emerging technologies, including artificial
16   intelligence, multi-omics integration platforms, digital twins,
17   wearable medical devices, robotics, gene editing, nanomaterials
18   and nanomachines offer significant potential for advancing
19   research in prosthetics, disease screening, microsurgery and
 1   other areas; and
 2      WHEREAS, The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated both the
 3   potential and limitations of rapid scientific cooperation across
 4   disciplines, underscoring the value of preestablished frameworks
 5   for translational research; and
 6      WHEREAS, By undertaking a study and establishing a dedicated
 7   advisory committee to identify barriers and opportunities for
 8   cross-specialty collaboration, this Commonwealth can position
 9   itself as a national leader in 21st-century biomedical
10   innovation; therefore be it
11      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the Joint
12   State Government Commission to establish an advisory committee
13   and, in collaboration with the advisory committee, conduct a
14   study on impediments to interspecialty and interdisciplinary
15   medical research and the most promising means of incorporating
16   emerging technologies into medical research; and be it further
17      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the Joint
18   State Government Commission, in collaboration with the advisory
19   committee, to investigate the current hurdles preventing more
20   effective integration of different medical specialties, related
21   disciplines and emerging technologies that could prove
22   beneficial to the advancement of medical science generally and
23   on specific diseases; and be it further
24      RESOLVED, That the advisory committee be composed of the
25   following members:
26          (1)   The Secretary of Health or a designee.
27          (2)   The Secretary of Education or a designee.
28          (3)   Two members of the House of Representatives, one
29      appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and
30      one appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of

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 1      Representatives.
 2          (4)    One individual representing the Pennsylvania Medical
 3      Society, selected by the Joint State Government Commission
 4      upon the recommendation of the governing body of the
 5      Pennsylvania Medical Society.
 6          (5)    Ten individuals representing a cross section of
 7      medical specialties, selected by the Joint State Government
 8      Commission.
 9          (6)    Up to 20 individuals with subject matter expertise,
10      selected by the Joint State Government Commission, including
11      at least one representative from each of the following
12      domains:
13                 (i)    Computer science.
14                 (ii)    Biomedical engineering.
15                 (iii)    Data science.
16                 (iv)    Public health policy.
17                 (v)    Medical ethics.
18                 (vi)    Regulatory law.
19                 (vii)    Biochemistry;
20   and be it further
21      RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission, in
22   collaboration with the advisory committee, conduct a study and
23   prepare a report that includes all of the following:
24          (1)    Identification of present impediments to cross-
25      disciplinary research.
26          (2)    Identification of emerging technologies most
27      advantageous to medical research generally.
28          (3)    Recommendations for fostering communication and
29      collaboration between specialists in those technologies and
30      medical research.

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 1          (4)   Identification of regulatory or legal barriers to
 2      the use of those emerging technologies and recommendations
 3      for any reforms.
 4          (5)   Recommendations for creating cross-disciplinary
 5      fluency among specialists.
 6          (6)   Identification of methods in which the executive and
 7      legislative branches may best support cross-disciplinary
 8      medical research;
 9   and be it further
10      RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission, in
11   collaboration with the advisory committee, be authorized to
12   request information not protected from disclosure from State
13   agencies and departments for the purposes of the study; and be
14   it further
15      RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission, in
16   collaboration with the advisory committee, issue a report of its
17   findings and recommendations no later than 18 months after the
18   adoption of this resolution to all of the following:
19          (1)   The President pro tempore of the Senate.
20          (2)   The Speaker of the House of Representatives.
21          (3)   The Majority Leader and the Minority Leader of the
22      Senate.
23          (4)   The Majority Leader and the Minority Leader of the
24      House of Representatives.
25          (5)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
26      Health and Human Services Committee of the Senate.
27          (6)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
28      Health Committee of the House of Representatives.
29          (7)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
30      Education Committee of the Senate.

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1         (8)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
2     Education Committee of the House of Representatives.




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