Biotechnology Industry Organization
The Biotechnology Industry Organization, known as BIO, was created in 1993 by the merger of two small Washington-based biotechnology trade organizations:
- The Industrial Biotechnology Association (IBA), primarily represented larger, established companies on Capitol Hill and before federal regulatory agencies; the other, the Association of Biotechnology Companies (ABC), represented emerging companies and universities, and focused on technology transfer issues, meetings and other business development activities. [5]
According to The Hill, in November 2004, "The C2 Group ... signed the Biotechnology Industry Organization to gain congressional support for such industrial biotechnology issues as turning corn residues into usable plastics and establishing biorefineries." [6]
Contents
Lobbying
The Biotechnology Industry Organization does in-house lobbying, and contracts some business out to smaller lobbying firms, including the Alpine Group, Arent Fox LLP, and Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld.
2012 Lobbying Data
| Lobbying Firm | Amount Reported | Issue |
|---|---|---|
| Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld | $30,000 | Patent provisions in the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade negotiations; Patent provisions in the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade negotiations; |
| Alpine Group | $60,000 | S. 559, Securing America's Future with Energy and Sustainable Technologies Act Biofuels S. 1564, Renewable Fuel Parity Act of 2011 H.R. 3098, Renewable Fuel Standard Elimination Act; bio-based tax credit H.R. 3630, Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 2011; FY 2013 Appropriations Legislation; Green chemistry S 847, Safe Chemicals Act of 2011; National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013; S. 2155, A bill to amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to promote biobased manufacturing.; |
| Arent Fox | $60,000 | Improving the regulatory process for products of crop biotechnology; Improving the regulatory process at the Department of Agriculture |
| Bates Capitol Group | $40,000 | Support legislation to increase access to capital information. Monitor Budget Process and Senate Votes (S.Con.Res.37, S.Con.Res.41, S.Con.Res.42, S.Con.Res.44, H.Con.Res.112).. Support repeal of IPAB. Support the TREAT Act to accelerate development of therapies for serious and life-threatening diseases, S.2113. Monitor S.3187, the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act. |
| Biotechnology Industry Organization | $3,890,000 | TransPacific Partnership Sanitary and Phytosanitary Issues, Livestock Cloning/Product Labeling Discussions with EU on Animal Cloning, Genetically Engineered (GE) Animals Labeling
FDA Approval Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for FY 2013 Amendment to Restrict FDA Approval of GE Salmon, Funding for Biodefense/Biomedical/Emergency Preparedness Research, Development and Procurement, Departments of Labor, HHS, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for FY 2013, Regulatory Actions on Biological Pesticides, Climate Change Benefits of Biofuels, Department of Defense Applications of Advanced Biofuels (Opposition to Section 526 Repeal, Implementation of H.R. 1249: The America Invents Act of 2011, Discussions with EU on Animal Cloning, Funding for Biorefineries Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act for FY 2013, Biosimilars User Fee Act of 2012 (Discussion Draft) Implementation of H.R. 3590: (Senate) Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Funding for Biodefense/Biomedical/Emergency Preparedness Research, Development and Procurement Departments of Labor, HHS, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for FY 2013, S 1855: Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act Reauthorization of 2011, Reimbursement for Innovative Products: Medicare Part B Physician-Administered Products, Biodefense Research, Development and Procurement S 1855: Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act Reauthorization of 2011, H.R. 3606: Jumpstart Our Business Start-ups (JOBS) Act, Tax for Seasonal Influenza Funding, |
| Nobel Strategies | $60,000 | Biotech Regulations Roundup Ready Alfalfa Roundup Ready Sugarbeets |
| The Russell Group | $160,000 | Biotech Acceptance; Agriculture, Competition, and Related Issues; Advocacy for Plant Protection Act concerns; FY 2013 Agriculture Appropriations Act; Work relating to seed trade issues with South America. |
| The Washington Tax Group | $90,000 | Issues related to extension and expansion of alternative simplified research and development tax credit (H.R. 942, S. 1577); issues relating to international corporate tax reform (S. 727, S. 2091). |
In 2008, The BIO spent $7.7 million on lobbying [1] They spent $7.3 million in 2009, [2] $8.4 million in 2010 [3], and 7.9 million in 2011 [4]
Public relations
Fake news
A promotional website for BIO's June 2008 convention states: [7]
- BIO has retained DWJ Television to provide videography, TV, and radio broadcast services, as well as webcasting and podcasting, during the 2008 BIO International Convention. ...
- DWJ Television can shoot footage and edit a video for your exhibit booth or B-roll/soundbites for news broadcasters. ...
- DWJ will produce and distribute radio newsfeeds daily throughout the convention. DWJ will also maintain live fiber and satellite capability 24/7 for the delivery of important corporate news and interviews during the convention – to any and all TV stations in the U.S. or abroad.
BIO 2009
BIO hired the PR firm Environics Communications "to conduct public relations and media outreach for the association's 2009 BIO International Convention in Atlanta," Georgia, according to the Holmes Report. BIO vice president of communications Jeff Joseph remarked, "Environics Communications was selected because of the agency's strong health sciences knowledge and background, its relentless persistence in generating top-tier visibility for clients in traditional and new media, and its vast experience and understanding of how large trade associations operate." [5]
FDA funding fees
U.S. government regulating agencies don't negotiate their budgets with industries they oversee, with the exception of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In the early 1990s, the pharmaceutical industry began paying the FDA millions of dollars in user fees in order to speed up the drug approval process. These fees "now fund more than half the agency's critical drug-review process." Industry groups and the FDA renegotiate the fees and how they're used every five years, giving drug makers "considerable input into which programs receive funding." In 2006 the FDA negotiated an agreement with the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and Biotechnology Industry Organization. Industry groups pushed for even faster decisions on labeling and other "conditions" of new drugs and the FDA negotiated more funding to monitor drug safety following approval. [6]
Personnel
- James C. Greenwood - President and CEO
- Jeff Joseph - Vice president of communications
- Susan Desmond-Hellmann - Board member
Contact information
Biotechnology Industry Organization
1225 Eye Street NW
Suite 400
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: 202.962.9200
Email: info@bio.org
Website: http://www.bio.org/
Articles and resources
Related SourceWatch articles
- Biotechnology
- DWJ Television
- Henri A. Termeer - director
- Carl B. Feldbaum, President Emeritus
- Richard W. Hamilton
References
- ↑ Opensecrets: Lobbying Report for the BIO: [1]. Accessed July 27th, 2012
- ↑ Opensecrets: Lobbying Report for the BIO: [2]. Accessed July 27th, 2012
- ↑ Opensecrets: Lobbying Report for the BIO: [3]. Accessed July 27th, 2012
- ↑ Opensecrets: Lobbying Report for the BIO: [4]. Accessed July 27th, 2012
- ↑ "Environics Manages PR for BIO International Conference," Holmes Report (sub req'd), February 15, 2009.
- ↑ Anna Wilde Matthews Drug Firms Use Financial Clout To Push Industry Agenda at FDA, Wall Street Journal, September 2006
External resources
External articles
- Anna Wilde Mathews, "Drug Firms Use Financial Clout To Push Industry Agenda at FDA," Wall Street Journal (sub req'd), September 1, 2006.
