WASHINGTON, Dec. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Biotechnology Industry Organization
(BIO) President & CEO Jim Greenwood issued the following statement
regarding passage by the Senate yesterday of S. 3678, the Pandemic and
All-Hazards Preparedness Act:
"Passage by the U.S. Senate of this bill, which includes critical BARDA
provisions and provisions to reauthorize bioterrorism grants, is an
important and necessary step toward improving America's defenses against
bioterrorism and pandemic diseases.
"This legislation recognizes that the 'Valley of Death' remains a
barrier to effective countermeasure product development, and authorizes the
Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) within the
Department of Health and Human Services. Through BARDA, contracts and
grants for advanced research and development will be made to companies
working on products to protect the American people. The bill also contains
important contract reforms that improve upon the advances made under
Project BioShield, by allowing, for example, milestone payments and surge
capacity provisions to improve the viability and sustainability of
biodefense product development and manufacture.
"Significantly, the Senate-passed bill contains strong funding levels
and important provisions to permit competing companies to cooperatively
respond to government-declared emergencies without violating antitrust
laws.
"In September, the House passed the Biodefense and Pandemic Vaccine and
Drug Development Act of 2006 (H.R. 5533). We urge the House and the Senate
to work quickly so that important reforms are enacted to foster strong
national preparedness."
BIO represents more than 1,100 biotechnology companies, academic
institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across
the United States and 31 other nations. BIO members are involved in the
research and development of healthcare, agricultural, industrial and
environmental biotechnology products.
SOURCE Biotechnology Industry Organization
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Related links:
http://www.bio.org
CONTACT:
Paul Winters of Biotechnology Industry
Organization, +1-202-962-9237
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