‘One of the leading public health threats of our time’

A new platform highlights “one of the leading public health threats of our time” through powerful stories, while a report explores the health and occupational hazards of rising temperatures. Today, we’re watching BIO Board member Bill Newell, CEO of Sutro Biopharma, testify on Capitol Hill—stay tuned. (754 words, 3 minutes, 46 seconds)

Global AMR Diary highlights ‘one of the leading public health threats of our time’

The Global AMR Diary—launched yesterday—highlights the risks of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through collective storytelling to shift perspectives and shape policy.

The Global AMR Diary is an online platform for people to post or read stories about those affected by AMR—patients, parents, other caregivers, healthcare providers, and biotech innovators. It was conceived by Diane Shader Smith, whose daughter Mallory died from a superbug infection in 2017. 

Why it matters: “Antimicrobial resistance truly is one of the leading public health threats of our time,” Emily Wheeler, BIO Senior Director of Infectious Disease Policy, tells the LA Times. “The pipeline for antibiotics today is already inadequate to address the threats that we know about, without even considering the continuous evolution of these bugs as the years go on.”

A policy prescription: BIO encourages passage of the PASTEUR Act, which would help boost the antimicrobial pipeline to bring new innovations to patients by stabilizing a minimum return on investment for new antimicrobials.

BIO’s view: “Drug-resistant infections are an urgent problem and a leading cause of death from disease in the U.S.,” says BIO President & CEO John F. Crowley in the launch announcement. “The Global AMR Diary is an energizing new project that will shed more light on the people impacted by superbugs and help raise awareness of the threat we all face with antimicrobial resistance.”

Read more: Diary of a Dying Girl, a book with a collection of Mallory Smith’s diary entries, was published yesterday. 

Listen to:"'On My Own' — Desperate to Stop a Resistant Bacterial Infection"

More Health News: 

Federal Register: Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program draft guidance and comment request
“The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is announcing an opportunity for the public to comment on CMS; draft guidance for the second cycle of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program and manufacturer effectuation of the maximum fair price for 2026 and 2027 for the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act.  … Comments must be received by July 2, 2024.”

Climate change an occupational hazard, report says

Rising temperatures are an occupational hazard, exposing more than 70% of the global workforce to health threats annually, says a new report from the International Labour Organization (ILO).

The numbers: Every year, 2.41 billion workers endure dangerously high temperatures, causing an estimated 22.85 million occupational injuries; 18,970 deaths are attributable to excessive heat alone, says the April 22 report.

Why it matters: “Strong evidence demonstrates that numerous health conditions in workers have been linked to climate change, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory illnesses, kidney dysfunction and mental health conditions,” the report says.

It’s getting worse: This April was the warmest on record, the 11th month in a row in which a record was set, and ocean temperatures broke records every day over the past year, BBC reports.

“Biotechnological innovations can help mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions,” says BIO’s report, Biotechnology: Driving Solutions for Sustainable Development. The report highlights advances like Virent’ssustainable aviation fuel and LanzaTech’s bio-ethanol innovations that turn waste carbon into fuel.

The people want action: A poll commissioned by BIO finds that 66% of respondents want federal policymakers to prioritize incentives for biotech companies to solve climate challenges.

BIO’s view: “Leveraging of biotechnology innovation is going to be key in order to enable advances in climate adaptation, mitigation, and resilience,” says Tamra Spielvogel, BIO’s Climate Policy Director.

Learn more: A recent episode of the I am BIO Podcast, Biotech is Climate Tech, explores how biotech companies are addressing climate change with groundbreaking innovation.

More Agriculture & Environment News: 

Food and Drug Administration (FDA): FDA announces draft guidance on pharmaceutical development for veterinary drug products
“This draft guidance has been developed for veterinary use by the International Cooperation on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Veterinary Medicinal Products (VICH). … The program aims to harmonize technical requirements for the approval of veterinary medicinal products in the European Union, Japan, and the United States, and includes input from both regulatory and industry representatives.”

President Biden’s Wednesday: Campaigning in Racine, WI, where he’s expected to speak about his Investing in America agenda at the Gateway Technical College, followed by a campaign fundraiser in Chicago.

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: Sutro Biopharma CEO Bill Newell, a BIO Board Member and advocate of restoring the full R&D tax deduction, will testify before a House Small Business Committee hearing, “Stifling Innovation: Examining the Impacts of Regulatory Burdens on Small Businesses in Healthcare.” We’ll report back tomorrow. Meanwhile, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies will question FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, M.D., on plans for the 2025 budget.