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In both details and global sweep, biotechnology is an anthology of great stories. Biotechnology is about scientists persevering for years to reach a breakthrough. It’s about patients living longer and with less disability, and poor farmers breaking free of subsistence living. Biotechnology even offers the hope of easing geopolitical tensions and improving the environment with bioenergy based on plants, not petroleum.

BIO uses a variety of tools to bring the industry’s stories to government officials, the public and the media, in part because the more these groups are educated about the technologies’ benefits, the more likely they are to support the policy measures that sustain a climate of innovation.

BIO’s Communications Department reaches audiences through conventional print media such as the BIO News newsletter, the Guide to Biotechnology and brochures. But the organization also takes full advantage of emerging technologies such as video, Webcasting, Web logs (blogs), news monitoring and mining services and e-mail newsletters.

Gregory Lucier, President and CEO, Invitrogen (left), BIO President & CEO James Greenwood (middle-right), and Chemical Heritage Foundation President Arnold Thackray (far-right) present the 7th Annual Biotechnology Heritage Award to Dr. Paul Berg, Cahill Professor in Cancer Research, Emeritus, at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

At the Bio 2005 convention in Philadelphia, BIO unveiled an 11-minute video, "Biotechnology: Knowledge Serving Life," to provide an overview of the contributions of biotechnology to health, agriculture, manufacturing and the environment. Patient and farmer stories help bring the technology to life in the video, developed for use in meetings with legislators and staff.

In May 2005, BIO launched Biotechnology This Month, an e-mailed newsletter for Congressional staffers and others on Capitol Hill. About 5,000 people subscribe to the newsletter, which features items on scientific discoveries and product breakthroughs, as well as links to resources on the bio.org Web site.

BIO offers a variety of Web-based news and feature services, including Biotech This Month, designed for Congressional and federal agency staff, and science.bio.org, a daily roundup of sciencerelated biotech news.

BIO offers a variety of Web-based news and feature services, including Biotech This Month, designed for Congressional and federal agency staff, and science.bio.org, a daily roundup of sciencerelated biotech news.

• Medicare coverage of off-label use of therapies.
• Biotechnology’s impact on autoimmune diseases.
• Tax rules on private company stock options.
• Personalized medicine.
• Small Business Innovation Research grant issues.
• Safety of cloned animals.
• Global status of commercialized biotech crops.
• Plant-made pharmaceuticals.

Other BIO online communications services include science. bio.org, a comprehensive daily science briefing; BIO Smart-Brief, a daily e-mailed collection of headlines and links from mainstream news sources; and BIO Bulletin, an e-mailed update on breaking news.

Over the last year, BIO has upgraded its members-only Web site, members.bio.org. There, members will find a continuously updated membership directory, BIO staff contact information, archived issues of BIO News and BIO Bulletin and all BIO Webcasts. BIO launched its first Web log on the members-only site, a blog providing a weekly update on state legislative activities.

To obtain a password for the members-only site, employees of BIO member companies should contact the Corporate Development and Marketing Department at +1 202.962.9200.

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