SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--California Life Sciences Association (CLSA), the trade association representing California’s life sciences industry, today urged Governor Jerry Brown to sign Senate Bill 1121, legislation that helps protect clinical trials conducted in California, which are the lifeblood of new and innovative medicines to treat patients in need. SB 1121 was approved by the California Legislature earlier this year and awaits action by Governor Brown, who has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto the legislation.
“For many Californians, clinical trials are the last best option for accessing life-saving and life-sustaining treatments. Unfortunately, AB 375, California’s recently passed data privacy law could inadvertently prevent patients from accessing the innovative clinical trials that are keeping them alive,” said Sara Radcliffe, President & CEO of CLSA. “We urge Governor Jerry Brown to sign SB 1121, critical legislation that will preserve California patient access to clinical trials and allow innovative research to continue.”
To avoid a costly ballot initiative, the California legislature quickly drafted and passed a sweeping consumer privacy law (Assembly Bill 375) earlier this year that will change the ways companies collect and manage consumer data. One key provision of the bill allows people to request that a company not use their data. Although the authors did not intend for AB 375 to impact clinical trials, an unintended consequence of the language in the original bill could be catastrophic for clinical trials and research data sharing in California.
“It is urgent that California take steps now to protect development of new medicines and patient access to clinical trials. Clinical trials can last years, and life sciences companies may be unlikely to begin new clinical trials or research in California because the trial could be shut down entirely if one participating patient prohibited the use of their data,” added Radcliffe. “SB 1121 will preserve the robust data privacy protections of AB 375 while also ensuring that patients can continue to access innovative treatments in the context of clinical trials.”
CLSA is launching a corresponding digital campaign and grassroots effort to urge the Governor to sign SB 1121. Click here to learn more about the bill.
- Learn more about the California life sciences industry
- View CLSA’s Legislative Action Center
- Watch CLSA’s Faces of California Biomedical Innovation Web Series
- View CLSA’s Advocacy Priorities
- View upcoming CLSA events
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.
