A Mid-Year Recap on Policies Shaping the Life Science Industry

Biocom California’s policy team works out of our offices strategically located in San Diego, South San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento and Washington, D.C., to advocate for issues that affect the life science industry at every level of government. In this article, we share the highlights of our regulatory and legislative efforts for the first half of 2024.

Policy Update from Washington, D.C.

By Laure Clark, Sr. Director, Federal Policy and Government Affairs

As non-dilutive funding continues to be a priority for industry, Biocom California hosted several events to connect members to high-level officials, including Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) DRIVe Director Ashim Subedee and Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) Director Renee Wegrzyn. Biocom California also gave CEOs of small medical device and diagnostic companies the opportunity to meet with regulators at the Food and Drug Administration (CDRH Director Jeff Shuren), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CAG Director Tamara Syrek-Jensen), and Department of Commerce (Advisor to the Secretary Saif Khan), as well as Members of Congress (Reps. Scott Peters, Ted Lieu and Kevin Mullin), as part of our 2024 Emerging Technologies Advocacy Fly-In.

Biocom California continues to advocate for policies important to our members, including establishing small molecule parity under Medicare drug pricing negotiation, restoring Research & Development (R&D) amortization over 5 years, requesting appropriation increases for federal agencies overseeing the life sciences, engaging with committee staff on legislation that would establish international supply chain restrictions, and opposing March-In proposals that would hinder intellectual property protections.

Policy Update from San Diego, Los Angeles, and Bay Area

By Melanie Cohn, Sr. Director, Regional Policy and Government Affairs

In the first half of 2024, local governments proposed a variety of land use and tax policies that will impact life science. San Diego is nearing the end of a six-year process to update the University Community Plan, which will govern future development of the city’s life science hub over the next 30-plus years. We helped secure continued shuttle service from the Sorrento Valley Coaster station to life science employers. In the Bay Area, various proposals to increase business taxes to address the lingering budget impacts of the pandemic are being considered for the November ballot. The “Keep Innovation in Berkeley” package of zoning changes continues to advance with our support. We are working with the City of Los Angeles to develop a “life science starter kit” for companies looking to locate in the city. And we saw the zoning changes we worked to pass in Pasadena to support future growth of our industry go into effect in February.