THU AM News: Rockwell Automation report sheds light on life sciences manufacturing trends; Marquette Law School Poll finds greater concern about PFAS in water supply

June 26, 2025

— Life sciences manufacturers see inflation and supply chain disruptions as bigger risks this year than last year, according to a report from Rockwell Automation.

The Milwaukee-based manufacturing company recently released its 10th annual State of Smart Manufacturing report. It included a section focused on the life sciences sector with insights from 143 respondents across 15 countries, capturing trends as life science companies “are entering a new phase of digital maturity.”

That’s according to Matt Weaver, vice president of global industry – life sciences for Rockwell Automation. He points to rising regulatory complexity and “mounting pressure to improve time-to-market” without reducing quality as key factors driving business decisions.

“This year’s report makes it clear that AI is becoming indispensable to modern life sciences manufacturing — not just to optimize efficiency, but to strengthen product quality, secure critical infrastructure, and upskill the workforce,” he said in a statement.

While workforce challenges were rated the top external obstacle by companies surveyed for the 2024 report, that concern has fallen to No. 4 in this year’s report. At the same time, inflation and economic growth and supply chain disruptions have risen to the No. 1 and No. 2 external obstacles for 2025.

Meanwhile, cybersecurity risks have risen from No. 5 on the list of external obstacles in 2024 to No. 3 in this year’s report.

Authors note life sciences manufacturers are increasingly using AI and machine learning for cybersecurity applications, “reflecting a shift from viewing these technologies as purely efficiency-focused tools to essential components of digital risk management.”

The report found 48% of respondents plan to use AI or machine learning for cybersecurity in the next 12 months, and 29% believe cybersecurity risk is the “biggest external obstacle” to growth in 2025.

Other top applications for AI and machine learning include quality control with 53% of respondents, process optimization with 50%, robotics with 45% and supply chain management with 42%. Report authors note these technologies are being used to reduce errors, production downtime, operating costs and risks while boosting efficiency.

Still, less than half of respondents — 46% — say the data they’re collecting is being used effectively.

“These findings suggest a gap in the ability of life sciences manufacturers to use that data for real-time decision making and meaningful, measurable operational improvements,” authors wrote.

See the release and full results.

— The latest Marquette Law School Poll finds higher levels of concern about PFAS in the water supply.

Seventy-nine percent of registered voters included in the survey say they’re very or somewhat concerned about this issue, while 21% said they’re not too concerned or not concerned at all. In the previous survey, those percentages were 68% and 25%, respectively.

The survey also found those who’ve heard a lot about PFAS in the local water supply are “much more concerned” about the issue, with 90% very or somewhat concerned. Even among those who haven’t heard anything about PFAS in the local water, 66% still said they’re very or somewhat concerned.

These results came one day after the state Supreme Court ruled the state Department of Natural Resources doesn’t have to identify PFAS and other contaminants as hazardous materials before those responsible must address the pollution.

Meanwhile, the poll continues to find strong support for legalizing marijuana in Wisconsin. Among registered voters, 67% said it should be legal in the state while 33% said it should remain illegal. In the previous poll, 63% had said marijuana should be legal while 29% said illegal and 7% said they don’t know.

The findings illustrate the partisan divide on the question of marijuana legalization. While 56% of Republicans in the survey oppose legalization, 79% of independents and 88% of Democrats say marijuana should be legalized.

Voters overall said by a 57-31 split that tariffs hurt the economy. And they said by a 55-31 split that President Donald Trump’s policies will increase inflation rather than reduce it.

Other questions in the poll focused on job approval for various politicians and the state Supreme Court, as well as other policy issues such as education funding and property taxes. The survey was conducted June 13-19 and included 873 registered voters in Wisconsin. The margin of error was plus or minus 4.7 percentage points.

See more results.

— U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman and a bipartisan group of lawmakers are reintroducing legislation aimed at reducing costs for cancer patients.

Grothman, a Republican who represents the state’s 6th Congressional District in eastern Wisconsin, says he’s “proud to work with both sides of the aisle to expand access, reduce costs, and help improve outcomes” for cancer patients.

The Cancer Drug Parity Act would require health insurers to cover oral cancer treatments “on the same level” as traditional intravenous therapies, according to a release from Grothman’s office. That’s in addition to expanding “oral parity protections” to patients with private insurance whose health care is regulated at the federal level.

The announcement notes oral cancer treatments can provide a more convenient and less invasive treatment option but often include substantial out-of-pocket costs for patients. That’s because while IV treatments are often covered under insurance plans’ medical benefit, oral drugs are grouped under the prescription benefit, the release shows.

“As oral medications become more widely used and popular among cancer patients, it’s critical that health plans don’t force patients to choose between effectiveness and affordability,” Grothman said in a statement.

At least 43 states and Washington, D.C. have passed “oral parity” laws like this, the release notes.

See the release.

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— Children’s Wisconsin has announced plans to open a new mental health walk-in clinic in Green Bay, its third in the state.

It will be located within the Bellin Psychiatric Center, serving patients in Brown and Oconto counties and elsewhere in the region. The announcement notes an opening date hasn’t been chosen yet and will depend on “recruitment of providers and other team members needed to staff the clinic.”

The hospital previously opened its first mental health walk-in clinic in Milwaukee in 2022, and a second clinic in Kenosha last year. More than 3,400 pediatric patients have received services since the first clinic opened, according to yesterday’s announcement. Most of these kids were seen for anxiety, depression, trauma concerns and school avoidance.

Amy Herbst, vice president of mental and behavioral health at Children’s Wisconsin, points to the growing mental health “crisis” facing youth in the state. She says the clinic is a great place to start for kids who don’t have a provider, or for those who can’t wait for the next available appointment with their existing provider.

“We can lend support in the moment and establish a treatment plan going forward,” Herbst said in a statement. “Sometimes kids need help now, and that’s what these mental health walk-in clinics provide.”

See the release.

— Madison-based Archeus Technologies has gotten FDA clearance for an investigational new drug application for its prostate cancer treatment.

The company recently announced the agency’s approval allows it to begin a Phase 1 clinical trial later this year for ART-101, a receptor-based targeting molecule. This follows last year’s FDA clearance of the company’s lead therapeutic candidate and a companion diagnostic molecule.

“This IND clearance marks an important milestone for Archeus as we prepare to initiate the first of multiple clinical trials set to begin this year from our broader portfolio of differentiated radiopharmaceutical assets for difficult-to-treat cancers,” CEO Evan Sengbusch said in a statement.

See more at Madison Startups.

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