Biotech Policy

On February 4th, BIO hosted a media briefing on how efforts to restrict gene patenting and licensing would threaten advances in public health and harm the national economy. Participants included:

BIOtech Now’s Tracy Krughoff talks to Dr. David Agus of the University of Southern California’s Westside Prostate Cancer Center and the Center for Applied Molecular Medicine. His research focuses on the application of proteomics and genomics for the study of cancer and the development of new therapeutics for prostate cancer. Dr. Agus also is one of the judges for the Biotechnology Humanitarian Award, which will be given at the 2010 BIO International Convention.

Listen to the podcast:
http://www.bio.org/podcasts/agus.wma

We issued a late breaking call for sessions for the 2010 BIO International Convention today. Open for 4 Days  - Due Thursday, February 4th http://tinyurl.com/yej8j8c To respond to requests for recent and timely session topics, we are accepting six new late-breaking sessions for the 2010 BIO International Convention.

Danny Levine of the Burrill Report conducted a podcast with BIO President & CEO Jim Greenwood today on BIO's public priorities for 2010. Discussion topics include what happens next with national health care reform, biosimilars, patent reform, and biofuels. You can listen to the podcast on the Burrill Report website at http://www.burrillreport.com/article-2090.html.

Biosimilars, also known as follow-on biologics, may eventually expand access and provide patients a more affordable alternative to innovative, lifesaving medicines. However, there are a few important safeguards that must be put into place before these “similar but not the same” versions of biologics can be safely introduced to the public.  Join Dr.

Last summer, BIO joined with former Vermont Governor Howard Dean to advocate for biosimilar legislation that protects patient safety and promotes necessary incentives for continued innovation of biologics.

BIO is a key co-sponsor for a key meeting on genomics policy being held by the FDA and the Drug Information Association (DIA).

The meeting is entitled: 5th Workshop in a Series on Pharmacogenomics: Generating and Weighing Evidence in Drug Development and Regulatory Decision Making

It will be held February 2, 2010 8:00AM – February 4, 2010 3:00 pm at the Marriott Bethesda North Hotel.

This week, IP Watchdog sets the story straight by writing a post, “Fact vs. Fiction: The Truth on Biologics and Biosimilars raising some important points,

“Did you know that on average, it takes an investment of more than $1 billion over 10 years to develop a biotech medicine.

Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, the 42^nd and 43^rd Presidents of the United States, will appear together as co-keynote speakers at the 2010 BIO International Convention on May 4^th in Chicago, Ill. at McCormick Place. Presidents Clinton and Bush, who served in the White House for 16 years, will discuss a wide variety of issues relating to both domestic and foreign policy. Jim Greenwood, BIO's president and CEO, will moderate the discussion between the two former Presidents on Tuesday, May 4^th at 11:30 a.m.

"As Congress has moved to overhaul the health care insurance industry in America, I've been struck by some of the myths put forward by opponents of the effort that have gained traction: death panels, government takeovers of health care, free care for illegal aliens and so on.