Turning 65 today means something very different than it did 30 years ago. Today’s seniors experienced the antibiotic revolution, the cardiac care breakthrough, and the dawn of cancer therapies that weren’t available during their parents’ time. Those breakthroughs were made possible by decades of investment in medical research and an innovation ecosystem that turns scientific discovery into lifesaving medicines. That system has made the United States the world’s leader in medical innovation, but that leadership is no longer guaranteed.

Emerging global competitors, particularly China, are investing aggressively in biomedical innovation and rapidly accelerating the pace of drug development. China now moves from molecule discovery to human clinical trials almost 70% faster than any other country, underscoring the speed at which the global innovation race is evolving. If the U.S. continues its current path, it risks ceding its leadership in medical innovation and denying the next generation of seniors the same lifesaving advances today’s older Americans have benefited from.