Sometimes corn gets served a bad hand at the Thanksgiving table. It’s not that corn is not liked, it just gets overlooked when you have savory stuffing, succulent carved Turkey and an assortment of pies that are all vying for space in your growling stomach. This holiday season, however, give some extra love to your creamed corn, cornbread, hushpuppies, and tamales because without biotech it might not be here. In 1996, corn became one the very first commercially available genetically modified crops and today more than 90% of corn planted in the US is genetically modified. Thanks to progress in ..read more

The nomination period is underway for the Buzz of BIO contest at the 2020 CEO & Investor Conference! Winners receive complimentary conference registration, a company presentation in the corresponding track, and opportunities for promotion to industry leaders and investors. The BIO CEO & Investor Conference is one of the largest investor conferences focused on established and emerging publicly traded and select private biotech companies. Because our mission is to support industry-wide success, we present a broad and unbiased view of investment opportunities. The conference will take pla ..read more

After 30-plus years working in Washington DC, it’s clear healthcare decision makers recognize that a patient’s story can add value to a discussion when data cannot. While the value of data is not disputed, the art of patient storytelling is seldom discussed.  I believe this is partly due to the desire that patients’ experiences be respected, not questioned, or confronted in the same manner policies are debated.  There’s also a desire not to cherry-pick the patient’s words or put words in their mouth.  They are experts in their knowledge of their disease, it’s treatment, and what it takes to ma ..read more

On this page we usually tout the newest examples of biotechnology innovation: jet fuels made from algae; gene edited bananas that resist disease; soil microbes that reduce the need for chemical inputs like fertilizer; and bio-based products that are more environmentally friendly. The list of next generation innovation goes on and on with inspirational stories of biotech’s promise to improve our planet, our society and our economy. Sadly, after two decades, there remain technologies in the pipeline that have the proven potential to combat malnutrition, end human suffering and save lives. Golden ..read more

In a story entitled, “CMS Blames Medicare Part B Hikes on Drug Costs,” writers for Politico Pulse note: “The agency [Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services] on Friday announced a $9 monthly premium increase and $13 annual deductible hike, but argued that the White House is working to bring down cost drivers for seniors. “The increase in the Part B premiums and deductible is largely due to rising spending on physician-administered drugs,” CMS said in its announcement. There’s just one problem for CMS: Its own data do NOT support the claim. Later this week, CMS will be publishing detail ..read more

Supporters of Speaker Pelosi’s extreme drug pricing bill (H.R. 3) want us to believe that they can destroy the biopharmaceutical industry and still produce new cures and treatments for patients in need. The crux of this fairy tale is the promise by supporters of H.R. 3 to reinvest “savings” from the bill back into the National Institutes of Health (NIH). But there are two significant problems with this empty promise. Problem #1: H.R. 3 does NOT reinvest savings back into the NIH. The legislative language simply doesn’t exist in the bill. As Inside Health Policy recently reported: “House Dems H ..read more

For some, the term “synthetic biology” can bring back nightmares of the infamous college course that all students failed at least one. But what was once a roadblock to receiving a bachelors degree in science, is quickly turning into a robust field of biotechnology that is showing potential to transform how we manufacture products and grow food. Synthetic biology can be used to develop renewable chemicals to create products like synthetic rubber for tires or bioplastics—even ingredients for personal care products like shampoos and lotions. But some companies like Amyris, Bayer, Cargill, Gingko ..read more

People have a lot of questions about GMOs. One of the top questions people have is about GMOs in the grocery store. But most people don’t know that much of the GMO crop production around the world goes to helping feed animals.  In fact, genetically modified crops have benefited the livestock sector by helping to increase yields of the crop, having higher quality traits, and are safer for livestock to eat than feed in the past. The GMO crops that are used in animal feed and pet food most often include corn, canola, cottonseed, soybean, and potato. These crops are principally used in livestock f ..read more

BIO is continually looking for ways to help its members grow and prosper. This week BIO announced a partnership with Biotech Primer Inc.—a training organization helping professionals understand the science, business, and regulatory processes essential to the biotech industry. Since its start in 2001, Biotech Primer has trained over 65,000 life science professionals worldwide. Biotech Primer and BIO are joining forces to offer online training/education to the BIO Membership community and biotech professionals around the world. Sometimes referred to as “Biotech for Dummies”, the curriculum focus ..read more

Supporters of Speaker Pelosi’s drug pricing plan (H.R. 3) claim the bill will discourage the development of so-called “me too” drugs. For example, Rep. Donna Shalala was recently quoted as saying:  “I think it actually will reduce me-too drugs … I think [pharmaceutical companies] are going to clean their portfolios. … I think that they’ll become more efficient.”  There’s just one problem: HR 3 is designed to have the opposite effect. Under the bill, the Secretary of Health and Human Services is required to negotiate the price of certain “eligible” drugs. According to the Congressional Resear ..read more