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Sunday, November 08, 2009 |
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November 6, 2008
As are people from all walks of life across the country and around the world, the BIO staff - with many different political persuasions represented among us - is looking forward with optimism to the promise and meaning of this historic election. So many of us were moved by the passion of President-elect Obama's supporters and volunteers, the special joy of African Americans, and the sense of hope that our new President will succeed, even in part, in fulfilling his pledge to change the tone in Washington and the direction of America. Now, we are moving apace to ensure we are prepared to work with the Obama Administration and the new Congress to advance our advocacy goals.
Working together, we can succeed in building a better health care system, in increasing agricultural productivity and in developing clean fuels and materials.
But to achieve these goals we need change.
We need to change the way we think about increasing access to health care. We need to recognize that the best way to reduce costs and increase access is to reduce the incidence of chronic disease and incentivize investment in biomedical innovation.
We need to change the way we think about biotechnological research and development. We need to recognize that increased funding and support for basic research conducted at NIH and in academia is a critical step but only a first step toward fulfilling the promise of biotechnology. We need the proper public policies to enable companies to build upon the early stage research to develop products that save and enhance lives.
We need to change the way we think about increasing our nation's energy security. We need to increase and enhance the incentives needed to drive the development of domestically-produced sustainable, renewable alternative fuels.
And we need to change the way we think about agricultural production. We need to encourage continued developments and investments in agricultural biotechnology to increase sustainability while reducing agriculture's environmental impact.
This is the change that biotechnology can bring.
It is the blessing of America's democratic system that we renew ourselves over and over. Now is such a time. BIO will be deeply engaged in this renewal and this occasion for new hope.
Jim Greenwood
President and CEO
Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO)
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