WASHINGTON, D.C. –  John F. Crowley, President and CEO of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) released the following statement.“The passage of the Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act is a bipartisan victory for children and families living with rare diseases. We thank the bill’s House and Senate cosponsors and the countless patient advocates for their unwavering commitment to reauthorizing the Pediatric Priority Review (PPRV) program and to ensuring this bill crossed the finish line. The PPRV program provides critical incentives for rare disease research, and its reauthorization provides stability and confidence for biotech innovators who are leading the way in the discovery of breakthrough treatments.”“For more than a decade, the PPRV program has incentivized the development of treatments for rare pediatric diseases at no cost to taxpayers, providing hope for families affected by devastating conditions who often previously had no options.  We thank Senators Mullin (R-OK) and Bennet (D-CO), Reps. McCaul (R-TX), Dingell (D-MI), Bilirakis (R-FL), Schrier (D-WA), Harshbarger (R-TN), Matsui (D-CA), Crenshaw (R-TX), Castor (D-FL), Weber (R-TX), and Trahan (D-MA) for their leadership on the bill.”“This funding package also takes important first steps to rein in Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs). For too long, these middlemen have driven up costs for patients, pocketing savings for themselves rather than passing them on. We look forward to continuing to work with Congress and the Administration to realize a 21st-century vision for healthcare access and affordability for American families. It is time to simplify our health care system, cut out the middlemen, and reduce out-of-pocket costs for patients.”###About the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)BIO is the premier biotechnology advocacy organization representing biotech companies, industry leaders, and state biotech associations in the United States and more than 35 countries around the…

Washington, D.C. (February 2, 2026) -- The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) today named Joe Franklin, JD, PhD, as its new chief legal and policy officer. Franklin brings deep expertise in the biomedical sector across law, policy, AI, and digital health. As a member of BIO’s senior executive team, he will lead the organization’s legal function and oversee key policy priorities, including access and reimbursement, intellectual property, and national security and international affairs."With Joe’s deep expertise in emerging biomedical technologies, and the deployment of artificial intelligence in healthcare and biopharma, we’ve added a great policy and legal mind to our team,” said John F. Crowley, President & CEO of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO). “Getting the policy and legal environment right is critical to the long-term success of America’s biotechnology industry. Joe’s appointment further strengthens BIO’s commitment to innovators, scientists, patients, and investors working on the cutting edge of health care today to advance breakthroughs and improve lives. We are thrilled to have him on board.”Franklin joins BIO from Covington & Burling, LLP, where he played an active role in the firm’s life sciences and artificial intelligence practices. His clients included large and small companies in the biopharma and tech sectors, as well as investors and trade associations. Previously, Joe was Chief Counsel for Regulatory and Strategic Affairs at Verily, Alphabet’s precision health company. Over nearly a decade at FDA, Franklin held several leadership positions and advised the agency’s drugs and biologics centers on a range of legal issues. Joe supported the White House COVID-19 response and liaised between FDA and Capitol Hill on complex regulatory policy issues, including biosimilars and the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA).In addition to providing strategic and operational management of BIO’s legal and policy priorities, Joe…