Biocom California Applauds Government Funding and FDA User Fees Reauthorization Measure

Biocom California, the association representing the life science industry of California, issued the following statement regarding passage of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Continuing Resolution in the Senate and House of Representatives this week. The statement can be attributed to Joe Panetta, Biocom California’s president and CEO:

“Biocom California applauds the Senate and House of Representatives for passing legislation that not only funds federal agencies at fiscal year 2022 levels until December 16 but also reauthorizes the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) user fees agreements until fiscal year 2027. The measure averts both a government shutdown and an expiration of FDA authority to collect and spend user fees, which would have had disastrous consequences for the life science industry.

“California is a world leader in biomedical innovation, generating over $400 billion in annual economic activity and supporting more than 1.4 million jobs. The bill is essential to ensuring that the FDA is well-funded and can continue to review and approve life-saving products for the more than 12,000 life science establishments that call California home. These agreements are negotiated by the FDA and the life science industry every five years and have helped reduce application backlogs, hire specialized staff, approve ground-breaking technologies and better engage patients.

“Biocom California also commends House and Senate committee staff who worked tirelessly this year to include important provisions, such as increasing diversity in clinical trials and enhancing FDA workforce, which were not included in the final measure. We look forward to working with Congress to address these important priorities in future legislation.

“We also urge both chambers to come together in December to pass a full year omnibus to provide much-needed funding increases to federal agencies and their underlying programs that are at the forefront of advancing 21st-century medicine and giving hope to patients globally, including the FDA, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).”

About Biocom California

Biocom California is the leader and advocate for California’s life science sector. We work on behalf of more than 1,700 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 California 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 California operates core offices in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area, with satellite offices in Sacramento, Washington, D.C. and Tokyo. 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 California, please visit our website at www.biocom.org. Connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter (@BIOCOMCA).

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