Congress targets Chinese influence in health tech. It could come with tradeoffs

WASHINGTON (AP) — A California biotechnology company that helps doctors detect genetic causes for cancer is among those that could be cut out of the U.S. market over ties to China, underscoring the possible tradeoffs between health innovation and a largely bipartisan push in Congress to counter Beijing’s global influence.

The competition between the world’s superpowers is hitting Complete Genomics, whose employees, some in white lab coats stitched with U.S. flag arm patches, spin samples in test tubes and huddle around computers in San Jose. Its founder and chief scientific officer said he’s frustrated that geopolitics is interfering with science.

“It’s just a loss for the research and for the industry,” Radoje Drmanac said.

The U.S. House this week overwhelmingly passed the BIOSECURE Act, which cites national security in preventing federal money from benefiting Complete Genomics and four other companies linked to China. They work with U.S. drugmakers to develop new medications or help doctors diagnose diseases.

It is part of a sweeping package of bills aimed at countering China’s influence and power, especially in technology, that Congress largely backed this week. The biotech measure, which cleared the House with a 306-81 vote, now heads to the Senate.

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