Good Day BIO: Biden nominates agricultural trade negotiator

President Biden nominated Elaine Trevino for Chief Agricultural Negotiator at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)—a position that’s essential to protecting the interests of American agriculture and biotechnology. 

If you recall...BIO urged the administration to nominate a chief ag negotiator during our President and CEO Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath's testimony to the Senate Finance Committee in July, and in this trade coalition letter.)

The Chief Ag Negotiator "plays a pivotal role in opening markets for U.S. agriculture and crafting trade agreements to ensure a level playing field for U.S. farmers," says BIO President and CEO Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath. 

The first woman of color and first Latina who would fill the position, Trevino has a long career promoting agriculture exports. Currently President of the Almond Alliance of California, she previously served as Deputy Secretary of California’s Department of Food and Agriculture under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, where she focused on the state’s ag exports.

What they’re saying: “As the leader of an organization that advocates for California’s leading agricultural export, Elaine understands tariff and nontariff barriers to trade and the importance of maintaining America’s strong trade agreements and global positioning,” said U.S. Trade Rep. Ambassador Katherine Tai. 

If confirmed, she’ll face tough challenges—including Mexico’s failure to comply with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) by not issuing ag biotech approvals.

Read: Unpacking Mexico’s economic and environmental paradox  

Dr. Michelle’s Diagnosis: Modern trade agreements, such as USMCA, are moving beyond opening markets to improve regulatory cooperation with trading partners so that agricultural innovations in biotechnology can be used to combat climate change, address nutritional challenges, and improve sustainability. BIO is encouraged by the administration’s nomination of Elaine Trevino to serve as chief agricultural negotiator to help enforce key agriculture trade agreements. – BIO President and CEO Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath

Read: What to expect from the Biden administration’s agriculture policy and trade agenda

More Agriculture and Environment News: 

Agri-Pulse: Climate change and hunger: can animals be the game changer [Opinion]
We are at a pivotal point where the margin for error in addressing climate change and hunger is next to zero.

Bloomberg: Study: Coronavirus infections from animals could spur next pandemic
“Hundreds of thousands of people may be infected annually by animals carrying coronaviruses related to the one that causes COVID-19 in China and Southeast Asia, according to a study emphasizing the ongoing pandemic threat from spillover events.”

If Medicare pays the full price of vaccines for seniors, government expenditures will be offset because a healthier population requires less care, finds new analysis by Avalere.

Under current rules, Medicare Part D requires seniors to pay part of the cost of many of vaccines—including vaccines routinely recommended for them, such as tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (Tdap) and varicella zoster (shingles). And Part D has cost-sharing—unlike Part B—which is a barrier to creating parity across Medicare.

But eliminating cost as an obstacle to seniors getting vaccines will reduce the incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases and save money for Medicare,finds the report from health care research firm Avalere (with support from BIO). 

If the vaccine costs are covered, Medicare would spend about $5.5 billion over 10 years—but the reduction in disease would yield a savings of approximately $5.1 billion. 

Furthermore: “A significant portion of potential savings would be derived from diseases for which vaccines are still in development, particularly respiratory diseases.” 

A key lesson of COVID-19 is the importance of removing barriers to vaccines,BIO’s Phyllis Arthur told the House Energy and Commerce Committee in June: “Many at-risk people who wanted vaccines would have faced both financial and logistical impediments had Congress not acted.” 

BIO supports the proposed “Protecting Seniors Through Immunization Act of 2021,” which would “eliminate cost-sharing in Medicare Part D for all CDC-recommended vaccines,” as well as H. R. 2170, to provide Medicaid support for vaccines recommended for adults.

More Health Care News: 

Nature: The history of mRNA vaccines
“Hundreds of scientists had worked on mRNA vaccines for decades before the coronavirus pandemic brought a breakthrough.” 

The New York Times: Pioneering gene therapy freed her of sickle cell. Is a cure at hand?
“The clinical trials, run by Bluebird Bio, Boston Children’s Hospital and Vertex Therapeutics, have changed the lives of the lucky patients like Helen who got them. Almost all the few dozen patients in the trials who passed the six-month marker since their treatments ended have had stunning results like hers.”

We’re kicking off Hispanic Heritage Month with a scientist whose work is helping us get back to normal: Dr. Severo Ochoa, who discovered an enzyme that can synthesize ribonucleic acid. Ultimately, Ochoa’s research was key in developing a greater understanding of the human genetic code—and the mRNA vaccines to address COVID-19. Ochoa was the first Hispanic American to win the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine in 1959. 

Learn more about Hispanic and Latinx scientists and innovators you should know.

President Biden’s Wednesday: Meeting with executives from major corporations like Walt Disney, Microsoft, and Walgreens Boots Alliance to discuss his COVID-19 vaccination requirements for the private sector, Wall Street Journal reports. 

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: The House Ways and Means Committee is expected to finish markup of Biden’s tax and spending plans. Meanwhile, POLITICO looks at what they call a “standoff” between moderate and progressive Democrats over drug pricing.