Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath, president and CEO of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the Build Back Better Act: “The legislation that passed the House today will upend a successful Medicare system and weaken the innovation ecosystem that has made America the leader in the development of new treatments and cures that are so critical for patients in the United States and around the globe. “We have repeatedly warned that the legislation will create billions of dollars in market distortions and unintended consequences for patients. It will have enormous implications in what research investments are made and if important new classes of medicines can attract the funding they need to get from the bench to a patient’s bedside. “The biopharmaceutical sector is one of the most vibrant and vital pieces of America’s economy.  Legislators were forced to spend over $2.8 trillion in stimulus money because of the pandemic, but now they eagerly enact price controls and other anti-innovation policies targeting the very industry that ended the pandemic.  As drafted, the legislation punishes vaccines, orphan and rare disease therapies, and complex gene sequencing drug discovery platforms -- including the one that led to the COVID vaccine -- amongst other egregious policies. “As the bill moves to the Senate, we hope that Senators will consider how these drastic changes will adversely impact patients and do real harm to a sector that is vital to our nation’s health, national security, and long-term competitiveness.”

The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) today announced the launch of Clinical Trials: The Power of Participation (CTPoP), a website that addresses how clinical trials work, how to enroll in a clinical trial, and what to expect as a clinical trial participant with sound, science-based information. “Knowledge is power and our goal for the new website is to serve as a resource for patients and their families to learn about clinical trials with information that’s scientifically sound and easily understood,” said BIO’s President and CEO, Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath. “All potential trial participants will benefit from the information available in one place, including traditionally underrepresented populations. Having more diverse groups in trials helps address systemic health disparities, ensuring that people are not left out of potentially lifesaving opportunities, and leading to a better understanding of how therapies and/or vaccines will work in more populations.” The CTPoP website connects patients and their families with the best available scientific resources needed to make sound decisions about clinical trials. It includes information on the importance of diversity in clinical trials, types of clinical trials, where to find a clinical trial for a specific disease, where to go to match volunteers with researchers for their clinical trials, what to expect when enrolled in a clinical trial, and what happens during and at the end. BIO verified the content for accuracy to help allay fears or anxieties surrounding participation and open the door for traditionally underrepresented populations to become more involved, improving outcomes for clinical trials. Clinical trial diversity is at the heart of the BIOEquality Agenda and its three pillars for change – Promote Health Equity, Invest in the Current and Next Generation of Scientists, and Expand Opportunity for Women and Other Underrepresented Populations. BIO challenges the industry and members to focus on…