BIOCOM Hosts U.S. Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary
BIOCOM, the Southern California Biomedical Council and the Medical Device Manufacturers Association hosted Tevi Troy, deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for a roundtable CEO discussion on issues affecting the FDA, the NIH and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, three of the many federal departments under the HHS' umbrella that have a tremendous impact on the life science community.
Given the industry's efforts to develop new technologies to advance healthcare, Troy said that he envisions America moving away from the one-size-fits-all program by taking a patient-centric approach.
"Technology can continue to improve as personalized healthcare allows professionals to look at the individual," said Troy, who serves as the chief operating officer of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and oversees all operations, including public health, medical research, Medicare, Medicaid, food and drug safety, disease prevention and mental health services.
Referencing an HHS report called "Personalized Healthcare (PDF)," he stressed his support for competition, and his belief that medical technology can help us improve the situation we are in today by better identifying therapies which will be useful in specific patients.
Troy also serves as the Regulatory Policy Officer for HHS, overseeing the development and approval of all HHS regulations and significant guidance, giving him a perspective on how American's view their healthcare options.
"People today feel they are spending their hard earned money on healthcare, and they are not getting value for their money," said Troy, "We need to stay focused on value and quality and finding smart answers to these problems."
BIOCOM, in cooperation with the Southern California Biomedical Council and the Medical Device Manufacturers Association, hosted Troy, members of his staff and a select group of medical device CEOs for an evening roundtable discussion regarding issues affecting the life science industry.
A strong contingent of Los Angeles-area CEO's were in attendance, marking another successful event for the California Life Science Alliance, a collaboration between BayBio, BIOCOM and the Southern California Biomedical Council to support the state's biotech and medical device community.
Troy also spoke about the benefits of comparative clinical trials, where drugs are compared directly against predecessors or competitors. He said comparative effectiveness research, used correctly, can help determine value and quality. He stated comparative effectiveness studies should not be used to limit choices, but to enable more intelligent ones relative to each individual.
On the issue of preemption related to certain medical devices, today a state may not require a manufacturer to choose between compliance with a state law and Federal law, because federal law prevails. Troy stated we are moving in the right direction, but still need to smooth the process.
Troy encouraged cooperation and collaboration with industry leaders to help move things forward and stated that the industry needed to better educate the public on the positives of therapeutics and devices, but to also be honest about risks and dispel the myth that there can be drugs or devices that are 100 percent safe in all cases. He suggested that the industry educate the public with the faces and stories of those who have benefited from our innovations.
At the meeting, Troy was witty and engaging in sharing his views on the future of health care, comparative effectiveness research, and voicing his support for competition, improved technology, and touching on the issue of pre-emption. Troy views chronic conditions, like America's weight problem, paired with economic challenges, one of the myriad of issues HHS faces as it works to improve America's healthcare system.
"The FDA seems very far away, but we're very involved in every process," said Troy. "It's helpful for me to get more input from you."