Biotechnology Industry Organization
This organization advocates for 1,200 biotech companies, academic institutions and biotech centers. Its members include companies that develop health care technologies, like Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, GlaxoSmithKline, Bayer and Merck.
What They Want
In the health care reform debate, BIO has concentrated on what it knows best: biologic drugs.
Biologics are drugs made from living organisms instead of chemical compounds. They are used to treat particularly serious or complex conditions like cancer, diabetes and HIV/AIDS.
Thus far, these drugs have not seen generic competition because the technology that creates them is cutting-edge. And true generic versions are unlikely because of the biologics' complexity. But Congress and the Food and Drug Administration are exploring how biosimilars -- drugs that would have small differences from the original -- can be manufactured and sold at a lower price. According to a June report from the Federal Trade Commission, treatment of breast cancer with a biologic drug can cost up to $48,000 per year. The report estimated that Americans spend a total of $40.3 billion per year on biologic drugs.
Legislation dealing with biosimilars was originally considered on its own, but it has since become part of health care reform legislation. BIO is supporting rules on biosimilars as a way to regulate the drugs to promote safety and further development.
"We took the position that we were going to be proactively in favor of biosimilars legislation," said Jim Greenwood, president and CEO of BIO.
Because the drugs are so complex, biosimilars need to be tested thoroughly to make sure they are as effective as biologics, BIO argues. And the group says the companies developing the biologics need to maintain exclusive rights for 12 years to get back their financial investment, since biologics take more time and resources to research and develop.
Health care reform bills passed by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee included amendments mandating the 12-year exclusivity period. The amendments passed in both committees with bipartisan support, in the Senate HELP Committee by a vote of 16-7 and in the House Energy and Commerce Committee by a vote of 47-11.
The White House, AARP and others have called for a seven-year exclusivity period that would get the cheaper drugs to patients faster.
"Those legislative battles have been fairly ferocious with AARP and the administration," Greenwood said.
He added that with the Senate HELP and House Energy and Commerce amendments passed, BIO will still have to work to protect biologics language in conference committee and in floor debate, but "so far, so good."
BIO also supports comparative effectiveness initiatives.
"We think it's important [to have] good, well-designed studies that can compare one drug to another drug or a drug to a surgical procedure or one surgical procedure to another surgical procedure," Greenwood said.
Deal Breakers
For the benefit of patients, biotechnology companies need to continue making enough money on drugs to make it worthwhile to develop new ones, Greenwood said. To those ends, BIO does not support the shorter biologics exclusivity time period, pharmaceutical price controls or drug reimportation.
The biotechnology industry is "poised to create dramatic reductions in the instance of chronic disease," Greenwood said. "That could all be put at risk."
How Much They've Spent
BIO spent $3.7 million on all lobbying activities in the first half of 2009, according to lobbying disclosure forms. BIO advocates on issues other than health care -- like agriculture and the environment -- and lobbying disclosure forms do not break down spending by activity. Health-care-related lobbying topics included drug safety and importation, biologics, Medicaid rebates, biomedical research funding and comparative effectiveness initiatives. In the first six months of 2008, BIO spent $3.8 million on all lobbying activities.
During the 2010 election cycle, BIO's PAC has raised $86,526 and spent $84,629, according to Federal Election Commission records. Those records however, don't indicate where the money was spent. During the 2008 election cycle, the group contributed $223,999 to federal candidates and committees, a threefold increase over the previous presidential election cycle, when the group donated $72,204. Of the amount given to federal candidates in the 2008 ncycle, 54 percent went to Democrats and 46 percent to Republicans.
BIO has spent more than $500,000 on television, radio and print advertisements supporting the biosimilars legislation, BIO spokesman Jeff Joseph said.
The group reported $64.8 million in total revenue for 2007, according to IRS records.
Key Players
Greenwood, BIO's president and CEO, has led the association since 2005. From 1993 to 2005, he was the representative for Pennsylvania's 8th Congressional District. The Republican served on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, one of the committees now tasked with formulating health care reform legislation.
Greenwood has testified before the House Judiciary Committee on biologics. He has also met with members of Congress and congressional staffers to promote legislation and educate them on the topic.
"I've spent a tremendous amount of time trying to educate members, particularly in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, on this legislation," Greenwood said.
He said he has gone to the offices of members of Congress with a plastic model of an aspirin molecule and a video model of a biologic molecule to demonstrate the differences in complexity between regular drugs and biologics.
Greenwood is not a registered lobbyist. Brent Del Monte, the group's vice president of federal government relations, heads BIO's team of 31 registered lobbyists, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
BIO has worked with the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America on biosimilars legislation and is a part of the Partnership to Improve Patient Care coalition, which is promoting comparative effectiveness research.
Links
BIO Biosimilars Page
BIO Health Page
FTC Report On Biologics
Jason
Monday, May 14, 2012
Hopefully this bill wil do what we all expect it to do, lower cost of public health care. Also hopefully it will create more demand for people with masters degree in public health and related fields.
Max
Friday, March 30, 2012
I just want to say your article is striking generic tadalafil.Well with your permission allow me to grab buy generic levitra feed to keep up to date with forthcoming post. Thanks.
Max
Friday, March 30, 2012
The particulars and exact recommendation are insurance specifically agrandissement de pénis what I was wanting. I've book marked and will definitely be returning. buy Sildenafil tablets Thanks for the information in this blog.
Rupak
Monday, March 12, 2012
Like this sector there are other sectors where there is a great need for trained professionals. Most institutes provide the students with courses which are tailored to suit the demands of such sectors. So if a student wants to work in public health sector, he should do online masters in public health.
Satya
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
The education department needs to invest money in improving the education sector and focus on special areas. If the students get to have the professional education that today's job fields require then that would benefit all. Students now prefer doing such courses online like online mba degree program.
Kartick
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
I think all sorts of medicines must be tested before they come to the market. If you are interested in working in this sector then you need to study biology in the advanced level. You could also do further studies. In fact you could do research work too. That would help you get a better job. I was looking for information on negotiation certificate when I saw your post.
Amitava
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
There is no doubt that such highly specialized field demands from job seekers special level of knowledge. Keeping this in mind most institutes now offer professional courses that would help you find the right job. For working in field of psychology, you could do an online psychology degrees.
Prabir
Monday, February 27, 2012
Advanced degrees in biotechnology could be your key to lucrative jobs in this field. In other fields too advancements are taking place. So you need to keep up with the changes. Professionals should consider upgrading their abilities. For better management of an organization, organizational leadership degree is needed.
imwilliam
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Most students hope to work in the health care sector; this sector is full of opportunities; a friend of mine is working as a nurse; she had put a lot of efforts to get this job. She decided to do master of science in nursing. But she was already into a job, so she decided to do the course online.
its_me
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
I think the medicines should not be too pricey. Further research work could help this sector to develop better medicines. I also agree that to work as a professional in special fields you need to have special qualification; if you want to work as a teacher you could easily do special ed certification.
Amitava
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Highly specialized sectors demand special skills; however since the regular courses are so time consuming that online courses are being preferred. But special courses like masters in criminology could be accomplished online too. Many students are enrolling for professional online courses.
Joy
Saturday, February 18, 2012
paid surveys online This is truly a great read for me. I have bookmarked it and I am looking forward to reading new articles. Keep up the good work!
kamal
Friday, February 17, 2012
Thanks for this. I really like what you've posted here and wish you the best of luck with this blog! Tarzana dentist
Prabir
Thursday, February 16, 2012
This sector has the potential to grow bigger; but getting the opportunity to work in this sector is not that easy; a candidate must have the knowledge, expertise and familiarity with the technology employed in this field. I was searching for information on online msn programs when I saw your post.
Jamie Jane
Monday, February 13, 2012
I have a fire science bachelor degree but my wife has the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Biological Sciences that educates students broadly in biology. She explored the structure, function, behavior, and evolution of cells, organisms, populations, and ecosystems. The B.S. in Biological Sciences differs from the B.S. in Zoology primarily in the emphasis on animals in Zoology.
Jamie Jane
Monday, February 13, 2012
I have a fire science bachelor degree but my wife has the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Biological Sciences educates students broadly in biology. She explored the structure, function, behavior, and evolution of cells, organisms, populations, and ecosystems. The B.S. in Biological Sciences differs from the B.S. in Zoology primarily in the emphasis on animals in Zoology.
Banik
Friday, January 20, 2012
In the health care sector, there is great demand now for professionals; there are certain positions which require a high level degree in that specific field. In this context having a degree like masters public health online could propel your career in the right direction.
NeilKirchoff
Thursday, November 24, 2011
I just got one of those rn to bsn online degrees and I am quite proud of it because I really studied for it and the courses didn't cost me that much. In my home country there is a real problem with the education. It is very good but it is not that expensive and not very demanding, so everybody goes to an university.
Jamie Johnsons
Monday, October 31, 2011
I really think that biologic drugs of the Biotechnology Industry Organization are really great medicines that are developed from living organisms instead of chemical compounds. I think that these drugs are really more effective and it is worth the money. They are used to treat particularly serious or complex conditions like cancer, diabetes and HIV/AIDS. Hence, these biologics are really amazing drugs. The Biotechnology Industry Organization should really be supported by the government because these biologic drugs are really a breakthrough remedy of these serious sickness.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
lpn to rn
-----------------------------------------------------------------
joshua
Monday, September 12, 2011
The biological drugs are the most promising discovery in the medical world in the last years. It could really improve the existing treatments by using drugs with practically no side effects. Already some private drug rehab centers use such drugs as substitutes for the drugs and this works perfectly! No side or secondary effects. For now, these drugs are harder to find and more expensive, but in time, as they will surely replace the existing ones, the price will drop and will be available everywhere!
barbarossa
Saturday, August 27, 2011
крутые песни и мелодии в мультфильмах скачать саундтреки без регистрации на большой скорости с музыкального портала
Mike Jones
Saturday, January 22, 2011
This organization advocates for 1,200 biotech companies, academic institutions and biotech centers. Its members include companies that develop health care technologies, like Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, GlaxoSmithKline, Bayer and Merck. Mike @ sweating and how to stop sweating
Anne Brunt
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Health care reform bills passed by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee included amendments mandating the 12-year exclusivity period. The amendments passed in both committees with bipartisan support, in the Senate HELP Committee by a vote of 16-7 and in the House Energy and Commerce Committee by a vote of 47-11.wii softmod | softmod wii
james caine
Sunday, June 13, 2010
When health care reform comes in full its going to destroy a lot of these businesses. The prices will make it hard for them to stay in business.
texas qui tam lawsuit