The ‘United Armed Forces’ against COVID-19

With political tensions and anti-science rhetoric high, America’s top scientists have received public attacks and threats—Dr. Anthony Fauci even requires armed security. This week, nine biotech leaders said enough is enough—and published a must-read letter to mobilize support.

Led by BIO Chair Dr. Jeremy Levin, CEO of Ovid Therapeutics, nine biotech CEOs including BIO’s Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath and BIO Board members signed a letter to the editor on the need to support public health experts. 

“[O]ur industry has risen to the challenge of overcoming the deadly pandemic that has gripped the world, putting that engine to work at miraculous speed to develop therapies and vaccines,” they say. 

But success “requires close collaboration” between biopharmaceutical companies, regulatory and public health authorities, lawmakers, and experts in epidemiology and infectious disease “to ensure the best, most rapid possible outcomes.”

We must support what they call the “United Armed Forces” against COVID-19, who “fight with brains instead of weapons, displaying the same courage and dedication as our armed forces in times of war.”

This isn’t the first time we’ve expressed support for scientists and science. BIO issued a statement defending Dr. Fauci way back in July, and in an open letter in September, we called for upholding the “integrity, transparency, and objective assessment” of scientific data and the independence of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

The bottom line: Attacks on scientists are not only “completely unjustified, they risk intimidating and demoralizing the very people we all are relying on to help end the COVID-19 nightmare,” they concluded. “[W]e stand united with them, with the many good people at FDA, CDC and NIH, and with Dr. Fauci, in upholding the high scientific, medical, and ethical principles that will allow us to defeat COVID-19.”

More Health Care News: 

Biopharma Dive: Moderna enrolls final volunteers into key coronavirus vaccine study
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved remdesivir “for the treatment of COVID-19 requiring hospitalization.” 

POLITICO: 4 takeaways from FDA’s COVID-19 vaccine meeting

In the wake of the pandemic, plastic pollution is on the rise—and recycling alone won’t solve the problem, says BIO’s Cornelia Poku in a new blog post. So, what’s the solution?

Plastic pollution is expected to increase by 30% this year compared to 2019, according to the Environmental Science and Technology Journal—and despite the helpful triangle symbol, less than 10% of plastic is recycled.

Adding to the problem, it’s currently more expensive to make materials out of recycled plastic than it is to just create new plastic, as we’ve previously reported.

Truly addressing the plastic problem requires more than the recycling bin.

How about plastic-eating bugs? “Mealworms, waxworms, and superworms all eat through plastic,” says Cornelia. “Applied on a large scale, this could be one tool deployed as part of a set of strategies to solve the plastic challenge.” 

Sustainable bioplastics are another solution. Virent is turning carbon and crop waste into solid plastic alternatives, while Danimer Scientific developed a bioplastic that is completely biodegradable in soil or water. (They’re both BIO members!)

“Recycling has many flaws and obstacles—even for those of us with the best intentions—so it can’t be our only answer,” she concludes. “We need to embrace new sustainable innovations that can help the environment, animals, and keep us from drowning our only planet in plastic.” 

Learn more about the future of bioplastics.

More Agriculture and Environment News:

Industrial Biotechnology: Biotech on the ballot: what the 2020 election could mean for industrial biotechnology
“[H]ow we advance industrial biotechnology to address critical issues facing our country like rebuilding a resilient economy following the COVID-19 pandemic and tackling climate change will depend on the new Congress,” says Stephanie Batchelor, VP of BIO’s Industrial and Environment Section.

President Trump’s Friday: During last night’s debate, Trump and Biden portrayed “two starkly different assessments” of the pandemic, says STAT News. Today, POTUS is heading to Florida for campaign rallies in The Villages and Pensacola.

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: Senate Judiciary voted to advance Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination, and floor consideration begins today, reports POLITICO.