SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Biocom, the association representing the life science industry of California, concluded its 2019 Connected Health Advocacy Fly-In to Washington, D.C. this week, connecting companies, research institutes and specialized firms to legislators and regulators for the fifth consecutive year.
“Biocom’s annual fly-in offers our California life science companies two days of high-level meetings with senior officials in some of the most prestigious government institutions,” said Joe Panetta, president and CEO of Biocom. “Participants are given the opportunity to learn about our legislative and regulatory environments, while discussing their research, successes and challenges. Every year, our fly-in focuses on a specific sector of our industry to allow for targeted and productive conversations. This year, we were delighted to bring to Washington, D.C. companies and organizations in the connected health space.”
Connected health harnesses the power of technology to improve health care delivery and outcomes and lower health care costs. These technologies include remote patient monitoring and digital devices, artificial intelligence (AI) products, mobile apps, big data systems, and genomics databases, among many others. They have proven to improve quality of care, promote patient engagement and reduce hospitalizations, and have the potential to revolutionize 21st century medicine.
“Biocom takes great pride in bringing to our nation’s capital a very diverse group of participating organizations, from startups and global companies to research institutes and specialized firms, working on a broad range of issues, from pain management and medication adherence to DNA databases and big data analysis,” added Panetta. “This year’s participants came from AccendoWave, BD, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, Ji Informatics, LunaPBC, Scripps Health and Thermo Fisher Scientific. Together, they advocated for a regulatory and reimbursement environment that incentivizes the use of connected health technologies, as well as appropriate data privacy and security policies.”
“Biocom’s fly-in gave our group of connected health companies an opportunity to exchange ideas, perspectives and experiences with high-level officials who are driving new policy and legislation that will shape the market’s future,” said Scott Kahn, CIO of LunaPBC. “We shared issues and solutions affecting treatment reimbursement, device innovation, and the impact of data privacy on the development of the field. We look forward to ongoing interactions with these officials through the introductions provided by Biocom.”
"Thank you Biocom for the opportunity to meet with high-level officials at FDA, NIH, ONC and in Congress,“ said Martha Lawrence, CEO, AccendoWave. “I was thrilled to be a representative of the incredible innovation that is happening in AI in the LA region and to be part of the conversation to offer non-opioid alternatives to pain management.”
Biocom 2019 Fly-In participants had the opportunity to meet with officials at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including the Director of the Center for Devices and Radiologic Health (CDRH); the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including the Office of the Director and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS); and the Executive Director of Policy at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). In Congress, they met with the Senate Finance Committee, House Energy & Commerce Committee, Congressman Scott Peters (D-CA) and Congressman Mike Levin’s staff (D-CA).
“California has long been the most innovative region in the world when it comes to developing new heath care products that can treat and cure some of the most dreadful diseases, improve health care quality and delivery, and create a more efficient, technology-enabled health care system at lower cost to public health,” concluded Panetta. “Connected health is changing the American healthcare industry for the better, but work must be done to realize the full potential of these technologies. We must continue to work to revise outdated regulations that impede their development, expand reimbursement and ensure that they are appropriately integrated into clinical care.”
About Biocom
Biocom is the largest, most experienced leader and advocate for California’s life science sector. We work on behalf of more than 1,100 members to drive public policy, build an enviable network of industry leaders, create access to capital, introduce cutting-edge STEM education programs, and create robust value-driven purchasing programs.
Founded in 1995 in San Diego, Biocom provides the strongest public voice to research institutions and companies that fuel the local and state-wide economy. Our goal is simple: to help our members produce novel solutions that improve the human condition. In addition to our San Diego headquarters, Biocom operates core offices in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area, satellite offices in Washington, D.C. and Tokyo, and has a continuous staff presence in Sacramento. Our broad membership benefits apply to biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, genomics and diagnostics companies of all sizes, as well as to research universities and institutes, clinical research organizations, investors and service providers.
For more information on Biocom, please visit our website at www.biocom.org. Connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter (@BIOCOMCA).
