SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--California Life Sciences Association (CLSA), the statewide public policy and business leadership trade association representing California’s life sciences industry, today applauded Gov. Jerry Brown on signing California Assembly Bill (AB) 602 into law.
AB 602 will help protect patients with diabetes from counterfeit or improperly stored diabetes test devices by prohibiting pharmacies from acquiring these devices from unauthorized distributors. Authored by Assemblymember Rob Bonta (D-Alameda), CLSA was the lead organization supporting AB 602.
Statement from Assemblymember Rob Bonta (D-Alameda):
“Diabetes patients deserve strong advocates. AB 602 will ensure they receive the highest quality devices for the highest quality patient care, without unnecessary cost increases. Whenever we can enhance the quality of our health care and keep costs down in an already overly-expensive health care system, we should. More than 23 million Americans have diabetes, and in 2012 this disease alone cost the U.S. more than $245 billion. Blood glucose monitors and test strips are an essential tool for patients and their physicians to measure and treat diabetes. Unfortunately, these products have also become the basis for millions in fraudulently submitted claims. AB 602 will target these abuses, preventing cost increases, and maintaining affordable, high-quality testing products for the patients who use these test strips daily. I'm very proud to author this bill and thank the California Life Sciences Association (CLSA) and the innovative life sciences companies they represent for leading the effort in support of AB 602.”
Statement from Sara Radcliffe, President & CEO, California Life Sciences Association (CLSA):
“California Life Sciences Association (CLSA) applauds Governor Jerry Brown on signing AB 602 into law, an important measure to help ensure patients can trust the source of their diabetes testing supplies in California. By ensuring that pharmacies can only submit insurance claims for diabetes test devices purchased from authorized distributors, AB 602 will protect patients and save money for Medi-Cal, Medicare, and the overall healthcare system. Many of our members are hard at work in the diabetes space to improve care and health outcomes for patients, and as the sponsors of this measure, CLSA thanks Assemblymember Rob Bonta for his leadership in authoring AB 602 and supporting better patient care in California.”
More About AB 602
The ability to accurately test one’s blood sugar multiple times per day is a critical component of diabetes management. A diabetes test device that gives an incorrect reading because it is either counterfeit or faulty due to improper storage conditions puts these patients at risk of serious harm. AB 602 helps mitigate risks to patients by ensuring diabetes test devices are purchased through manufacturers’ authorized distribution channels and penalizes the bad actors abusing the system and endangering lives. Read the bill here.
To learn more about California’s treasured life sciences industry, visit www.CALifeSciencesIndustry.com.
About California Life Sciences Association (CLSA)
California Life Sciences Association (CLSA) is the state’s largest and most influential life sciences advocacy and business leadership organization. With offices in Sacramento, San Diego, South San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington DC, CLSA works closely with industry, government, academia and others to shape public policy, improve access to innovative technologies and grow California’s life sciences economy. CLSA serves biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device and diagnostics companies, research universities and institutes, investors and service providers throughout the Golden State. CLSA was founded in 2015 when the Bay Area Bioscience Association (BayBio) and the California Healthcare Institute (CHI) merged. Visit CLSA at www.califesciences.org, and follow us on Twitter @CALifeSciences, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
