Poll shows strong bipartisan support for American biomanufacturing

We’re packing a lot into one little newsletter: a new poll that shows strong bipartisan support for boosting American biomanufacturing, a House antitrust hearing on PBMs, and a lot more news you need to know to start your week. (762 words, 3 minutes, 48 seconds)

New poll reveals strong bipartisan support for boosting American biomanufacturing

Voters want to bolster American manufacturing across biopharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors, according to a new public opinion survey conducted by Morning Consult for BIO.

The key takeaway: Many voters are upbeat about American leadership in the development of new medicines and support a range of solutions to help protect the supply of vital medicines and other technologies developed through biotechnology.

A few things we found...

• Strong bipartisan support for improving domestic manufacturing, with 84% saying it should be a priority for Congress to bolster American biomanufacturing.
• Strong bipartisan agreement: Do not disrupt access to medicines.
• 88% of voters believe it’s important that biopharmaceutical and biotechnology companies continue to work with American allies to manufacture these innovative products.
• 85% of voters support strengthening IP protections and 81% support strengthening the tech transfer system leveraged by public- and private-sector researchers.

Why it matters: Lawmakers continue to discuss reforms intended to strengthen the supply chain for medicines and biobased technologies. The survey is part of BIO’s commitment to be a partner in Congress’s efforts to protect the biotech industry as a critical strategic national asset and to ensure the supply of vital medicines.

Read more at Bio.News.

House hearing looks at PBMs from antitrust perspective

The market concentration of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) creates an uncompetitive situation that artificially inflates prices and reduces patients’ access to medicines, said participants in a Sept. 11 House hearing.

Why we’re talking about it: “The three largest PBMs account for nearly 80% of the market for pharmacy benefit services” and are vertically integrated with insurers, pharmacies, and health providers, Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC) told the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust hearing.

Why it matters: PBMs use their market power to inflate the cost of drugs for patients while reducing access by limiting the number of drugs covered by insurers and forcing the closure of pharmacies, leaving communities underserved.

What they said: “The antitrust problem is that the PBM is either self-serving or serving the people that they’re contracting with, and not serving the patient,” said Rep. Deborah Ross (D-NC).

What we can do about it: Legislative proposals to improve transparency and regulation of PBMs have been introduced in the House and Senate. BIO supports PBM reform.

BIO’s view: “The PBM industry evolves so quickly—always in the direction of ever-greater profits for the giant health insurers that own them—that half-measures won’t cut it,” BIO has said. “PBM business practices should first be understood in terms of the patient experience. PBMs restrict access or divert funds that could otherwise alleviate the burden for patients at the pharmacy counter.” 

Read more at Bio.News.

What Else to Know This Week

Gilead’s new drug reduced HIV infections by 96%. In a second Phase 3 trial of the twice-yearly lenacapavir, 99.9% of participants did not acquire HIV infection, with two incident cases among 2,180 participants, Gilead reported. Given the effectiveness, the BIO member company stopped the blinded phase and will offer lenacapavir to all participants. “Lenacapavir has demonstrated the potential to transform the prevention of HIV and help to end the epidemic,” said Gilead CEO Daniel O’Day.

BIO’s John F. Crowley is “encouraged…at the bipartisan, cross-partisan focus on biotechnology in Washington,”he said, speaking at last week’s Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News State of Biotechnology 2024. “A number of us for years have said this is a really important industry—arguably even the most important.” When the U.S. leads the world in biotechnological innovation, all nations are “better, safer and healthier,” he added. Read more at Bio.News.

NIH is making plans for women’s health. NIH recently released a strategic plan for women’s health research, covering 2024-2028, alongside a series of fact sheets on women’s health, covering 10 key topics. NIH is also planning an Oct. 1 online workshop, “The Intersection of Regenerative Medicine and Women’s Health.”

Members of Congress discussed legislation to block proposed federal rules that would regulate genetically engineered crops in wildlife refuges. BIO attended the Sept. 10 House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries hearing and previously expressed opposition to the proposal in comments. “Our country’s top regulatory scientists have determined that genetically engineered crops benefit nature and the environment, increase biodiversity, and provide important controls for invasive species and noxious weeds,” said John Torres, BIO’s Senior Director, Federal Government Relations – Agriculture & Environment. Read more at Bio.News.

Beltway Report: What's Ahead in Washington

President Biden will speak today at the opening of HBCU Week, which celebrates Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

BIO will watch Thursday when the Senate Judiciary Committee marks up several bills, including two dealing with patent protection: the S. 2220, PREVAIL Act, and the S. 2140, Patent Eligibility Restoration Act. Meanwhile, Congress has until Oct. 1 to pass a government funding measure.