WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Biotechnology Industry Organization
(BIO) President & CEO Jim Greenwood issued the following statement
regarding passage by the House early Saturday of S. 3678, the Pandemic and
All-Hazards Preparedness Act:
"This bill includes critical BARDA provisions and provisions to
reauthorize bioterrorism grants and is a necessary step toward improving
America's defenses against bioterrorism and pandemic diseases. We thank
Congress for passing this important legislation and sending it to the
President for his signature.
"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. Additionally, the bill
provides strong funding levels and important provisions to permit competing
companies to cooperatively respond to government-declared emergencies
without violating antitrust laws.
"We thank Sens. Richard Burr (R-S.C.) and Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), and
Reps. Michael Rogers (R-Mich.), Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), Joe Barton
(R-Texas), and John Dingell (D-Mich.) for their efforts in passing this
legislation."
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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