Public Policy Briefing
A BioNJ Members-Only Newsletter
SPECIAL EDITION
BioNJ Advocates for Life Sciences in Washington
At BIO Fly-In

On Tuesday, April 17, and Wednesday, April 18, BioNJ members traveled to Washington DC for the BIO Fly-in. On Tuesday, they attended issues briefings and advocacy training sessions, then gathered at a reception and saw Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) hailed by BIO President and CEO Jim Greenwood as "the architect of the modern biotech system" and presented with BIO's first ever Lifetime Achievement Award.

On Wednesday, participants gathered early to begin a full day of meetings with Members of the New Jersey Delegation. By 5:00 p.m., BioNJ Members had presented BIO Innovator Awards to Senators Robert Menendez and Cory Booker and Congressman Leonard Lance (R-7); discussed issues with Cong. Josh Gottheimer (D-5), Cong. Albio Sires (D- 8) and staff from the offices of Cong. Donald Norcross (D-1), Cong. Bill Pascrell (D-9), Cong. Donald Payne, Jr. (D-10) and Cong. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-12); and logged over 5 miles on their Fitbits walking through the halls of Congress.

These issues were presented as our key themes:
  • Need for reform in the 340B system;
  • Importance of strong intellectual property protection;
  • Restoring Orphan Drug Tax Credits to pre-2018 levels; and 

  • Commitment to reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA).


During the BIO Fly-in, Members from BioNJ's delegation met with Cong. Albio Sires (D-8) and other New Jersey Congressional representatives to encourage support for New Jersey's life sciences industry. 

BioNJ Participates in Cong. Josh Gottheimer's Healthcare Roundtable with Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D.
 

On Monday, April 16, Rebecca Perkins, BioNJ Vice President, Government Affairs, participated in a Healthcare Roundtable hosted by Cong. Josh Gottheimer (D-5) at Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, NJ.

Commissioner Gottlieb's presentation was closed to the press and the public, but he focused primarily on how the FDA will adapt to new medicines and therapies, including targeted medicines, gene therapy, and cell-based therapies. He also discussed challenges around electronic labeling, chemical and biological threats, health hazards and regulatory challenges of vaping and the opioid crisis.
 
Cong. Gottheimer continued the discussion after Commissioner Gottlieb left with healthcare representatives from hospitals, physicians and the biopharmaceutical industry.

BioNJ will continue to meet and communicate regularly with our elected and appointed government officials both in New Jersey and in Washington. We are happy to help you schedule a facility tour or facilitate a meeting with your Congressional representative or your New Jersey legislators. BioNJ Member participation is the key to our successful public policy program. Thank you for your support!
Thank You to Our Public Policy Sponsors


We Work for Health of New Jersey
If you would like information on how your organization can support our public policy efforts or how to develop an employee advocacy program, please contact Rebecca Perkins, BioNJ Vice President, Government Affairs, at  RPerkins@BioNJ.org. For more information on BioNJ, visit www.BioNJ.org.