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BIO submitted comments on PAHPA reauthorization—here’s what we said. Plus, the Farm Bill expires in a few months, and we explain why it matters to biotech. (661 words, 3 minutes, 18 seconds) |
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What BIO says about PAHPA |
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A bipartisan plan to prepare for health emergencies includes some good incentives, a problematic price control proposal, and insufficient preparation for the next pandemic, says BIO in public comments.
What we’re talking about: Established in 2006 to develop measures for possible public health emergencies, the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA) must be reauthorized by Sept. 30. The Senate Health, Education, Pensions & Labor (HELP) Committee accepted comments on a draft proposal until yesterday.
Good ideas: The draft would incentivize investment in medical countermeasures (MCMs) against pathogens with significant potential to cause a pandemic, including MCMs targeting multiple families of viruses. It also promotes technologies to improve production, storage, and administration of MCMs.
A bad idea: BIO opposes a proposed “reasonable pricing” clause to set prices of innovations developed through BARDA and the CDC. In the past, similar measures have prevented the participation of private investors.
Here’s why: “It was a failed experiment terminated by the Clinton administration in 1995 because it halted the public-private partnerships that developed NIH-funded science into important cures,” writes Phyllis Arthur, SVP for Infectious Disease and Emerging Science Policy.
More is needed to sufficiently prepare—and BIO recommends: BIO’s take: “The important question to ask is, are we more prepared today than we were in 2019? Unfortunately, it is not evident that we are,” Arthur told a June 13 House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing.
Read more on Bio.News. |
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Why the Farm Bill matters to biotech |
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As Congress prepares the 2023 Farm Bill, BIO is working to maximize this opportunity to boost biotech in agriculture.
About the Farm Bill: Renewed approximately every five years, generally with bipartisan support, the Farm Bill sets the course for agriculture policy and can greatly impact the use of biotech for plants, animals, biomanufacturing, and energy.
Why it matters right now: The current bill expires Sept. 30; Congress is working now on the new Farm Bill. Those efforts could be delayed, however, by intense House scrutiny of all federal spending.
BIO’s priority: A Farm Bill that builds the bioeconomy and encourages innovation by providing incentives and reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens.
Specific recommendations from BIO include…
- Stronger BioPreferred incentives, to promote federal use of biobased products by clearly defining these products in the North American Industry Classification System.
- Better regulation of biostimulants, biological substances that make plants more resilient and productive. The Biostimulant Act, proposed earlier this year, would improve regulation by defining biostimulants.
- Energy programs: Sustainable Aviation Fuel can dramatically reduce emissions from airline travel and should be incentivized. Incentives for biorefineries and biomass R&D are essential, too.
- Greenhouse gas reductions, thanks to biotech, should be better measured and incentivized.
- Better coordination among agencies so the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can reduce regulatory obstacles and speed decision-making.
- Streamlined regulation of biotech to allow faster approval of innovations such as gene editing to make plants and animals healthier and more productive.
What’s next: Farm Bill passage probably awaits a politicized battle over the federal budget. If it’s not passed by September, the current Farm Bill could be extended and passed in 2024. Read more on Bio.News. |
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