BioNJ has released a white paper with important data points suggesting that government price controls – such as those envisioned by a proposed Prescription Drug Affordability Board – would have a negative impact on continued medical innovation and Patient access to the next generation of lifesaving treatments. The white paper digs deeper into several common misconceptions frequently used in support of Prescription Drug Affordability Board proposals related to drug pricing, prescription drug spending and the drug supply chain.

“Prescription Drug Affordability Boards threaten Patient access to existing treatments and dampen future medical innovations for hard-to-treat conditions,” said BioNJ President and CEO Debbie Hart. “BioNJ is committed to working with New Jersey policymakers to implement solutions that ensure Patients have meaningful access to their medicines, reduce health care costs and support innovation necessary for future cures and treatments.”

Click here for more information on the white paper and corresponding infographic.

The U.S. House continues its work juggling “must-pass” legislative items such as the federal debt ceiling and government funding while navigating the budget and policy priorities included in the “Build Back Better” legislative package. A short-term continuing resolution keeping the government funded through early December cleared both houses of Congress with hours to spare before the fiscal year ended at midnight on October 1. While the government will continue operating, the fates of the bipartisan infrastructure plan and the $3.5 trillion reconciliation spending proposal are less clear. BioNJ continues to urge our legislators to oppose H.R. 3 and other reference pricing proposals as part of the reconciliation package. Stay tuned for additional information on these issues.

Governor Murphy has signed several pieces of legislation into law. Among these legislative initiatives is A-1625/S-2854, legislation sponsored by Assembly Representatives Pamela Lampitt, Mila Jasey and Linda Carter along with Senators Nellie Pou and Loretta Weinberg to direct the New Jersey Department of Education in consultation with the Secretary of Higher Education and the Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology to encourage young women and minorities to pursue degrees and careers in STEM fields. This important proposal would help foster diversity in our State’s future scientists and researchers. Thank you to Governor Murphy and the legislative sponsors for their work on this important initiative.

Click here for BioNJ’s statement on A-1625/S-2854.  

Congress continues consideration of drug pricing proposals that rely on innovation-stifling price controls to address Patient out-of-pocket costs. We know from other health care marketplaces that price controls inevitably lead to a decline in investment in research and development and fewer treatments for the Patients who need them the most. Now is the time to ensure policymakers understand the ramifications of these policies on Patient access to groundbreaking therapies and New Jersey’s vibrant biopharmaceutical ecosystem.

Click here for BioNJ’s alert on this important issue.

Governor Murphy has appointed Jayne Johnson as the first Director of the State’s Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging. The new department in the Governor’s Office will focus on areas such as coordinating programming to advance equity across State government, ensuring equity, anti-discrimination and anti-racism are integrated across State government and working with the private sector to develop methods to ensure equity is included in State-related engagements. BioNJ looks forward to collaborating with the Governor’s Office to ensure all New Jerseyans have equal access to necessary health services.

Meanwhile, New Jersey Department of Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli has announced that Deputy Commissioner of Health Systems Marcela Ospina Maziarz will be leaving the Department. Maziarz joined the Department in 2018 where she not only oversaw Department responsibilities related to health care facility licensing and enforcement of regulations, but was also instrumental in the Department’s COVID-19 response. Robin Ford, Executive Director of Hospital Finance, will take over the Deputy Commissioner role.

More information is available here.