The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) is the largest advocacy association in the world representing the
biotechnology
Biotechnology is the integration of natural sciences and engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms, cells, parts thereof and molecular analogues for products and services. The term ''biotechnology'' was first used ...
industry.
It was founded in 1993 as the Biotechnology Industry Organization, and changed its name to the Biotechnology Innovation Organization on January 4, 2016.
Biotechnology Innovation Organization serves more than 1,100 biotechnology firms, research schools, state biotechnology centers and related associations in the United States and in more than 30 other countries.
Activities
Annual Conference
BIO holds its annual international conference each year in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
. This conference provides networking, business development and partnering activities that are essential to the biotechnology industry, in which developing products take considerable time and resources and regulatory risks are high. In 2021, BIO shifted its in-person meetings to virtual, due to restrictions and difficulties arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lobbying
In 2018, BIO spent $9.87 million on
lobbying
In politics, lobbying, persuasion or interest representation is the act of lawfully attempting to influence the actions, policies, or decisions of government officials, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying, whic ...
the government of the United States. Past issues that BIO has lobbied on included the amending the
Internal Revenue Code
The Internal Revenue Code (IRC), formally the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, is the domestic portion of federal statutory tax law in the United States, published in various volumes of the United States Statutes at Large, and separately as Title 2 ...
to provide an exception from the passive loss rules for investments in high-technology research small business
pass-through entities, to include
vaccine
A vaccine is a biological preparation that provides active acquired immunity to a particular infectious or malignant disease. The safety and effectiveness of vaccines has been widely studied and verified. s against
seasonal influenza
Flu season is an annually recurring time period characterized by the prevalence of an outbreak of influenza (flu). The season occurs during the cold half of the year in each hemispheres of Earth, hemisphere. It takes approximately two days to ...
within the definition of taxable vaccines, and to extend, expand, and improve the qualifying
therapeutic discovery project program that first became law in 2010.
Examples of its public lobbying efforts, include support for development of
biofuels such as those produced from algae,
genetically modified crops
Genetically modified crops (GM crops) are plants used in agriculture, the DNA of which has been modified using genetic engineering methods. Plant genomes can be engineered by physical methods or by use of ''Agrobacterium'' for the delivery of ...
, strong
intellectual property
Intellectual property (IP) is a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect. There are many types of intellectual property, and some countries recognize more than others. The best-known types are patents, co ...
rights, and for a more efficient and predictable regulatory process for new food and drug products.
Alliances
In June 2013 BIO partnered with the Coalition of Small Business Innovators to lobby the U.S. government to modernize the U.S. tax code "to recognize and promote small business innovation as fundamental to the long-term growth of the U.S. economy".
[
It is a member of The Alliance to Feed the Future, an umbrella network, the mission of which is to "raise awareness and improve understanding of the benefits & necessity of modern food production and technology in order to meet global demand".
]
Industry initiatives
The "Right Mix Matters" campaign launched in 2019 targets diversity within biopharmaceutical company leadership, including ongoing assessment of diversity measures (gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation) and the provision of online tools aimed at assisting companies to achieve target diversity goals.
Organization
Members
BIOs members include companies that make pharmaceutical drugs
A medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy (pharmacotherapy) is an important part of the medical field and rel ...
, biofuels
Biofuel is a fuel that is produced over a short time span from biomass, rather than by the very slow natural processes involved in the formation of fossil fuels, such as oil. According to the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA ...
, industrial enzymes Industrial enzymes are enzymes that are commercially used in a variety of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemical production, biofuels, food & beverage, and consumer products. Due to advancements in recent years, biocatalysis through isolated ...
, and genetically modified crops
Genetically modified crops (GM crops) are plants used in agriculture, the DNA of which has been modified using genetic engineering methods. Plant genomes can be engineered by physical methods or by use of ''Agrobacterium'' for the delivery of ...
, as well as health care facilities that participate in clinical trials and biopharmaceutical research. As of 2016, it represents 1,100 biotech companies in all 50 U.S. states, which employ 1.61 million Americans and support an additional 3.4 million jobs.["Biotechnology Innovation Organization Joins Coalition of Small Business Innovators"](_blank)
, BIO Press Release, June 4, 2013.
Leadership
BIO was founded 1993 in Washington, D.C. and Carl B. Feldbaum was the president from BIO's founding until he retired in 2004.James C. Greenwood
James Charles Greenwood (born May 4, 1951) is an American politician in the Republican Party. He represented Pennsylvania's Eighth Congressional District for six terms in the United States House of Representatives.
Greenwood became president ...
who held the offices of president and CEO from 2005 to 2020.
The association has a 120 member board, consisting of a diverse mix of company executives based upon size, geography, and pharmaceutical focus. The board’s executive committee consists of 21 members, purposefully designed to ensure a representative voice for the smaller companies among BIO’s membership.[ Additionally, questions had been raised by some board members about her performance and management style.]
Biotechnology Heritage Award
The Biotechnology Heritage Award
The Biotechnology Heritage Award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of biotechnology through discovery, innovation, and public understanding. It is presented annually at the Biotechnology Innovation ...
, presented annually at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) Annual International Convention by the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and the Science History Institute
The Science History Institute is an institution that preserves and promotes understanding of the history of science. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, it includes a library, museum, archive, research center and conference center.
It was f ...
(formerly the Chemical Heritage Foundation), recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of biotechnology through discovery, innovation, and public understanding.
References
External links
BIO Website
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Lobbying organizations in the United States
Biotechnology organizations
Life sciences industry
1993 establishments in the United States
Organizations established in 1993