Chris Matthews Plays Hardball at Lunch

Biotech 2008 members were treated to lunch with Chris Matthews, who hosted a panel focusing on access, innovation and cost in our national health system. The panel included Representative Allyson Schwartz (D-PA District 13) and fellow Pennsylvanian Jim Greenwood, President and CEO of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO).

Mr. Matthews introduced the discussion by addressing the historic moment we all lived through on November 4th. He dispelled any cynicism by stating that this election and its result was a major historic event. Mr. Matthews said he would be rooting for the new president the same way he was rooting for Jackie Robinson.

All panelists agreed that in order to meet the healthcare challenges facing the new administration and Congress, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies will need to be an integral partner in finding solutions. Rep. Schwartz praised the industry for having a favorable image with Congress and called on companies to leverage the goodwill that exists among her colleagues.

Some key points included a call to reverse the Bush Adminstration's ban on stem cell research and emphasizing the importance for the NIH to support this research. Comparative effectiveness and evidence based medicine are priorities that President Obama and his administration strongly support, and creating this function within government will play an integral part in making decisions about how healthcare resources are allocated. Mr. Greenwood pointed out the importance of encouraging innovation and warned against too much regulation stifling industry's ability to develop cutting edge treatments. Rep. Schwartz called for improvements in medical information systems nationwide and said that this was one way to improve cost effectiveness.

Innovation was at the top of the debate, with Mr. Greenwood saying that in the post-Vioxx era, excessive pressure on the FDA on safety issues is creating an overly conservative agency. This benefits nobody said Mr. Greenwood--especially not patients who die waiting for potentially life saving treatments to be approved.

All panelists agreed that in the US, one of the wealthiest countries in the world, children should have health insurance. The Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which has been a success in Pennsylvania and other states, should be properly funded and expanded nationally so that all children in the US can have access to quality healthcare.

Posted by David Avitabile, JFK Communications and Ron Schmid, R.E. Schmid & Associates