We Work for Health of Massachusetts seeks to educate our elected leaders, the news media and the communities they serve about the important contributions these companies and their employees make to the health and economic security of individuals, local communities, and to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The industry not only helps drive the Massachusetts economy, but also leads the world in life-saving research and supports a vibrant patient advocacy community. Biopharmaceutical research companies and their employees play a critical role in improving the health and well-being of Massachusetts’ patients by delivering life-saving, life-enhancing advancements in medicine. In addition to working to improve health and economic viability, many biopharmaceutical companies provide philanthropic outreach in local communities across Massachusetts through grants and programs supporting access to affordable health coverage and medicine, primary and secondary education, social services, arts, and other community needs.
The biopharmaceutical sector is the foundation of one of Massachusetts’ most dynamic innovation and business ecosystems. Not only does the industry invest heavily in the research and development of new treatments and cures, it also generates high quality jobs, powers economic output and exports for the U.S. economy and sustains a very large-scale supply chain.
Supporting High Quality Jobs in Massachusetts
The innovative biopharmaceutical sector directly supported 55,704 jobs in Massachusetts in 2015. These jobs are often high-skill, high-wage professions.
The industry also supported another 250,041 jobs indirectly, for a total of about 305,745 jobs across the Massachusetts economy. These additional jobs are with vendors and suppliers such as construction companies and I.T. companies, and jobs generated by the sector’s employees such as day care centers and restaurants.
Massachusetts workers whose jobs were supported by the biopharmaceutical sector paid a total of $6.2 billion in personal taxes in 2015—$5.3 billion in federal taxes and $844.8 million in state taxes.
Massachusetts' Economic Impact
In 2015, the biopharmaceutical sector supported $79.2 billion in economic output for the state of Massachusetts—including $31.6 billion generated directly by the sector, and another $47.6 billion through its vendors and suppliers and through the economic activity of its workforce.
Direct Output per Direct Employee in 2015
vendor relationships
vendor spending
$3,425,833,998
Find Your
Elected Officials
Partners
Co-Chairs
Peter Forman, President & CEO, South Shore Chamber of Commerce
Partners
Abcam
ACS-CAN Massachusetts
AIDS Action Committee
Astellas Pharma
Biogen
Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce
Cambridge Chamber of Commerce
DGL Healthcare Consulting
Jewish Vocational Service (JVS)
Kendall Square Association
Life Science Cares
LUNGevity
Lupus Foundation New England
Mass Bio
Mass Biomedical Initiatives
Mass Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MassMEP)
Massachusetts Association For Mental Health (MAMH)
National Kidney Foundation, New England
Network for Excellence in Health Innovation (NEHI)
New England Venture Capital Association
Otsuka Pharmaceutical
Quincy College- Biotechnology & Good Manufacturing Practice Program
South Shore Chamber of Commerce
Sunovion
Takeda Pharmaceuticals
Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce