What the election results mean for health policy and science

On today’s episode of the I AM BIO Podcast, Phyllis Arthur, BIO’s VP of Infectious Disease Policy, chatted with BIO’s government relations team about the election results. Here’s what it means for key health care issues—and for science. 

Catch me up on congressional results. The “blue wave” predicted by many polls didn’t pan out. The House remains controlled by Democrats; the Senate is TBD following runoff elections in Georgia, but either way will be “narrowly divided,” said Jeanne Haggerty, BIO’s EVP of Advocacy.

Similarly, in the states, we thought we’d see legislatures flip from Republicans to Democrats, but that didn’t happen, said Patrick Plues, BIO’s VP of State Government Affairs—and Republicans even picked up New Hampshire. Meanwhile, some chambers lost moderates as the “more strident” Republicans/Democrats won seats. 

What are the implications for the health care system? The Supreme Court is considering the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)—and whatever the outcome, the Biden administration and divided Congress will need to work together to find solutions. 

If the entire law is struck down, 20 million people could lose insurance in the middle of the pandemic and economic crisis—and the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act (BPCIA), which creates a pathway for biosimilars, could be deemed invalid.

And even if the Supreme Court upholds the ACA, drug pricing will need to be addressed in the next 2-4 years, added Jeanne. Likewise, in the states, expect issues with prescription drug pricing and state budgets, too, said Patrick.

What does Biden need to do RIGHT NOW? “Have a plan, be transparent, and be consistent with information,” said Jeanne. “Put together a clear, concise national plan” to help governors “distribute and allocate the vaccines as quickly and efficiently as possible so they get to the people who need them the most and the quickest,” added Patrick.

He also has to rebuild trust in science: “The American public has to trust that when products are approved by the FDA, they are safe and effective for Americans and for the entire world,” concluded Jeanne. 

“We may not agree on all issues, but I think we agree that trust in science has to be sacrosanct,” she said. 

Listen to the whole thing at www.bio.org/podcast or wherever you get your podcast fix, including Apple, Google, or Spotify.

More Health Care News:

The New York Times: Pfizer’s early data shows vaccine is more than 90% effective
“If the results hold up, that level of protection would put it on par with highly effective childhood vaccines for diseases such as measles. No serious safety concerns have been observed, the company said.” [Pfizer’s Statement]

ICYMI: African swine fever has been surging around the world, from Germany to China. Now, it’s causing problems for Germany’s pork industry—but we explain why it doesn’t have to.

African swine fever doesn’t affect human health, but it’s fatal for pigs—and the agriculture industry. A recent Iowa State University study estimated that an African swine fever outbreak in the United States could cost $50 billion.   

We’re now seeing the impact in Germany, where pork exports are “trapped” in the country because China, South Korea, and Japan have banned German imports due to outbreaks, writes Keith Good in the University of Illinois’ Farm Policy News.

With biotech, this could potentially be avoidable. Genetic innovation could prevent and respond to infectious disease, by making pigs resistant to African swine fever, as just one example.  

But animal biotech regulation needs modernization. The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) current regulatory structure puts an entirely new generation of technology at risk, and threatens to drive research, jobs, and innovation overseas. 

What should we do? BIO has called for two things: the establishment of a national One Health framework to eliminate the barriers between human, animal, and environmental health strategies, and legislation directing the FDA and Agriculture Department to work together to streamline oversight of animal biotech innovation.    

Read more about how One Health can help us prevent and respond to zoonotic disease outbreaks—from African swine fever to COVID-19.

More Agriculture and Environment News:

Axios: Climate change had mixed showing in 2020 elections
“Joe Biden campaigned on the topic more than any other presidential nominee, which climate activists say is a victory. But his wins in battleground states may have come in spite of it, not because of it, political observers say.”

President Trump’s Monday: No public events scheduled. Trump family members and advisers are divided on whether he should concede, reports POLITICO. The Biden win “signals a 180-degree shift in several health policies Trump pushed over the last four years,” says Bloomberg Law. 

President-Elect Biden’s Monday: He’s expected to announce his COVID-19 task force, which will be led by former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, former FDA Commissioner David Kessler, and Marcella Nunez-Smith, a Yale physician who researches health disparities, reports STAT News. 

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: Back to work. “Democrats probably lost their shot at big health legislation such as public option,” says The Washington Post. Meanwhile, tomorrow, the Supreme Court will hear arguments on eliminating the Affordable Care Act.