February 18, 2015

Dear Members of the Minnesota Legislature,

We are writing to voice support for the $8 million appropriation request to fund innovative
research towards deliverable therapies for the functional improvements of those living
with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
As the leading trade association for the health technology industry, we are familiar with
both the life saving implications of medical devices and medical research, as well as the
arduous and costly process new technologies must pass through in order to be developed
and brought to patients.
The request for funding will go toward developing significantly improved care options for
the 118,000 Minnesotans living with these disabilities. There have been recent advances
in the field that can help reduce suffering, improve quality of life, and decrease the cost of
care for patients with these injuries. Currently, lifetime cost of care for individuals with
SCI/TBI ranges from $1.5 to $4.6 million.
We need state support to fund additional research for improved treatments, to help reduce
annual costs of care (total SCI cost for Minnesota is $520 million), and more importantly,
to keep the research and innovation in our state, which is well known for its health
technology and care industries. Increased financial investment to treat these injuries
would attract highly trained neuroscientists and researchers to Minnesota and create new
jobs in the fields of neuroregeneration and medical devices. LifeScience Alley endorses the
request for funding in Representative Hoffmans bill (HF 777) and Senator Hamilton's
comparable bill (SF 766).
The $8 million of appropriated state funding would also help to attract additional NIH grant
funding to these research areas. Other states have shown a strong correlation between
state funded programs and the attraction of NIH funds, as evidenced by California, which
generated $15 million in state funds and subsequently leveraged $86 million in NIH
federal funds over several years.
The grant would push research forward by providing seed money for therapeutic
innovations, novel medical devices, and needed funds to drive existing lab research to
clinical trial and onto industry for treatments, resulting in new jobs and improved patient
care.
As you know, LifeScience Alley has a 30-year track record as a global leader in enabling
business success. We are committed to improving our communitys operating
environment and supporting advancement in research and healthcare innovation for the
benefit of patients worldwide.
Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.
Sincerely,

Shaye Mandle, President & CEO

LifeScience

Alley