February 2, 2022

PDAB Posted in the Assembly Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee A-1747/S-329, legislation to create a Prescription Drug Affordability Board, has been posted in the Assembly Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee for this Thursday, February 3. BioNJ believes a Prescription Drug Affordability Board is the wrong way to address Patient out-of-pocket costs. Rather than taking a systemwide, holistic approach that addresses the drug supply chain middlemen, co-insurance, co-payments and health benefit design issues that can have the biggest impact on Patient costs, PDABs focus squarely on the innovative biopharmaceutical sector without any guarantee of Patient savings on necessary and lifesaving prescription treatments.   Click here for BioNJ’s whitepaper which demystifies some of the myths commonly used in support of Prescription Drug Affordability Board proposals. We hope you will stand with us and the Patients we serve in opposition of the Prescription Drug Affordability Board proposal. Click here to send a letter to your legislator now. Tell them to oppose A-1747/S-329.

Governor Murphy to Formally Nominate Sarah Adelman to Serve as DHS Commissioner      Governor Murphy has announced his intent to nominate Acting Commissioner Sarah Adelman as the permanent Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Human Services. Acting Commissioner Adelman has served in the department since 2018 and was appointed as Acting Commissioner in January 2021. The New Jersey Department of Human Services administers the New Jersey FamilyCare program.   Click here for BioNJ President and CEO Debbie Hart’s Statement on the nomination.

HELP Committee Releases Pandemic Preparedness Draft  U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and Richard Burr (R-NC) have introduced a discussion draft of the Prepare for and Respond to Existing Viruses, Emerging New Threats, and Pandemics Act (PREVENT Pandemics Act). The PREVENT Pandemics Act looks to improve the nation’s public health and pandemic preparedness in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation includes a number of provisions to strengthen supply chains, enhance biomedical research, address health care disparities and other issues brought forward by the COVID-19 pandemic. Feedback on the discussion draft may be submitted to HELPPandemicbill@help.senate.gov until February 4, 2022. Click here for more information on the PREVENT Pandemics Act.

State Legislative Update Legislation has started moving in the opening days of the New Jersey Legislature. Among recent Committee meetings was a Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee meeting where the Committee considered and passed S-616. Introduced by Senator Holly Schepisi, S-616 would allow local government entities to collaborate and enter into regional economic development partnerships. These regional partnerships would provide for joint and collaborative local economic development planning and strategy. Additional economic development opportunities will help support small and emerging companies in life sciences and other high-growth sectors. We thank Senator Schepisi for her work on this proposal.   Later this month, Governor Murphy will deliver both his fiscal year 2023 budget address and budget proposal. Stay tuned for additional details on the FY2023 budget.

We Need Your Help: Support BioNJ Policy and Advocacy Efforts BioNJ is the voice of New Jersey’s life sciences sector in Trenton and Washington. BioNJ’s Public Policy Support Series sponsorship opportunities are available for 2022. Sponsorship opportunities help make sure that our message is delivered in both Trenton and Washington, D.C. Help ensure BioNJ continues to deliver our message of improved Patient access and enhanced innovation through a Public Policy Support Series Sponsorship.   Click here for more information.

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