Washington State Senator Parlette Honored as BIO State Legislator of the Year
Philadelphia, PA. (June 17, 2015) – The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) announced today its selection of Washington State Senator Linda Evans Parlette (R-12) as a state Legislator of the Year for 2015. Senator Parlette received this honor during the 2015 BIO International Convention in recognition of her work as the prime sponsor of Senate Bill 5935, critical legislation that created a pathway for the substitution of interchangeable biologic medicines in Washington.
“Bringing all of the stakeholders together in the same room several times brought interesting discussions prior to final passage of SB 5935. It took patience and persistence and actually was quite fun! I would say it was truly a team effort facilitated by excellent Senate Health Care staff. As a pharmacist, I am used to dealing with details which is what final passage required,” said Sen. Parlette. “I am honored to be one of 10 legislators in the country recognized for legislation dealing with biologics. I certainly did not expect this.”
“As a pharmacist, Senator Parlette understands well why patients need to be fully informed about the medicines that they are taking. Through SB5935, she ensured there is full communication in the substitution process, as patients and their physicians should have the right to know what biologic medicine the patient receives from the pharmacy,” said BIO President and CEO Jim Greenwood. "We commend the Senator on her leadership on this important patient information issue.”
“Thanks in large part to Senator Parlette’s leadership, Washington is leading the way in adopting policies that not only support a growing industry in our state, but more importantly allow patients access to safe and effective therapies when the first interchangeable biologics are approved by the FDA,” said Chris Rivera, President of the Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association. “We thank the Senator for her tireless work in ensuring that patients have all the information they need to make smart decisions about their medical choices.”
The 2015 BIO International Convention is the world’s largest biotechnology event, and will run through Thursday, June 18. Hosted by the Biotechnology Industry Organization, this year’s event, which is taking place in the Philadelphia Convention Center, is expected to attract more than 3,000 biotechnology companies and more than 15,000 attendees from 48 states and 65 countries.
Photos of the award presentation are available upon request.