BIO Press Release: Greenwood accepts the job

[Guest guest]

> Fri, 23 Jul 2004 01:44:54 -0000

> BIO Press Release: Greenwood accepts the

job

>

> ALLIANCE FOR HUMAN RESEARCH PROTECTION (AHRP)

> Promoting openness and full disclosure

> http://www.ahrp.org

>

>

> Dear Friends

>

> A press release from Biotechnology Technology

> Industry confirms:

> " Congressman James C. Greenwood was named the next

> President of the

> Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO). "

>

> Greenwood accepted the job just as the committee he

> chaired was

> poised to hold a hearing at which representatives of

> the drug

> industry were about to be grilled under oath.

>

> As Kathy Woodward said:

>

> " We were so close to getting these pharmaceutical

> executives to

> testify before Congress. Now, it's all up in the

> air. It is

> unbelievable that he would announce his early

> 'retirement' forcing

> the postponement of this critical meeting. "

>

> The only question that remains is the amount of

> money it takes to

> entice a US Congressman to betray a public trust

> and turn his back

> on the little people--the families and children who

> have been

> victimized by the corrupt practices of the industry

> he has chosen to

> represent.

>

> " BIO, under Jim Greenwood's leadership, is now well

> positioned and

> ready to be an even more persuasive voice for

> thousands of

> researchers, many from small innovative companies,

> as well as

> encouraging a regulatory climate in Washington that

> will help our

> industry... "

>

> Tomorrow is another day!

>

> Vera

>

> p.s. just got Kathy's note about Greenwood's call to

> her ...This guy

> stabs everyone in the back and then wants our

> blessing!

> Seems like the lowest skunks get elected to office!

>

>

> BIO Press Release

>

--------------------------

> For Immediate ReleaseContact:

> Dan Eramian

> 202-962-9200

> 202-345-3674 (Cell)

> Stephanie Fischer

> 202-225-4276

> www.bio.org

>

> Congressman Greenwood Named Next BIO President

>

> Washington, D.C. (July 22, 2004) — Today,

> Congressman James C.

> Greenwood was named the next President of the

> Biotechnology Industry

> Organization (BIO).

>

> The industry group represents more than 1,000 small

> and large

> companies, as well as academic and research centers

> which use

> biotechnology to develop medical, agricultural,

> industrial and

> environmental products. BIO has members in all 50

> U.S. states and 33

> other nations.

>

> BIO Chairman and Alkermes CEO Richard Pops said,

> " After a

> comprehensive search from a pool of top-level

> candidates, Jim

> Greenwood was the Board of Directors' unanimous

> choice to lead BIO

> because of his commitment to improving people's

> lives through science

> and technology and his personal leadership skills.

>

> " Our next President will inherit one of the youngest

> but strongest

> and most vibrant trade groups in Washington, " Pops

> added.

>

> " BIO, under Jim Greenwood's leadership, is now well

> positioned and

> ready to be an even more persuasive voice for

> thousands of

> researchers, many from small innovative companies,

> as well as

> encouraging a regulatory climate in Washington that

> will help our

> industry bring even more cutting- edge health

> products to patients

> and consumers around the world, " Pops concluded.

>

>

> " Given my seniority in Congress, and my role on the

> Energy & Commerce

> Committee, had virtually any other organization

> approached me, I

> would have politely declined to interview. However,

> I passionately

> believe in the promise of biotechnology to find

> cures and treatments

> for the diseases that force parents to watch their

> children suffer

> and die, and children to endure their parents'

> disintegration into

> the clutches of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's

> diseases, " Greenwood

> said, continuing, " the research and the science that

> BIO's members

> represent hold so much potential: regenerative

> medicine to enable us

> to repair our organs and spinal cords, biotech crops

> and foods which

> can help feed the hungry, and biofuels to help save

> the environment. "

> Greenwood has represented the Eighth District of

> Pennsylvania in the

> U.S. House of Representatives since 1993 and serves

> on the Energy and

> Commerce and Education and the Workforce Committees.

> He previously

> served in the Pennsylvania House and Senate.

>

> Since 2001, Greenwood has served as Chairman of the

> Energy and

> Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and

> Investigations. In this

> position, he has investigated and held hearings on a

> wide array of

> issues including corporate governance issues at

> Enron and WorldCom,

> bioterrorism, and the security of our ports and

> borders.

>

> Greenwood has been a leader on education and

> juvenile justice

> issues. He has also authored several pieces of

> critical legislation

> to ensure that Americans have access to the best

> health care in the

> world, including the Help Efficient, Affordable, Low

> Cost, Timely

> Healthcare (HEALTH) Act to provide reasonable limits

> on non-economic

> damages in medical liability lawsuits to preserve

> patients' access to

> healthcare.

>

> Greenwood has been active on environmental issues

> and has worked to

> increase communication among leaders to address

> international

> environmental issues, serving as President of Global

> Legislators

> Organization for a Balanced Environment (GLOBE)

> International. He is

> also a founder and co-chair of the House Oceans

> Caucus.

>

> Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA) commented,

> " Congressman Greenwood has

> been a valued colleague and classmate whom I've had

> the privilege to

> partner with on many successful legislative

> initiatives. The

> Congress' loss is BIO's gain. Jim brings a wealth of

> knowledge,

> experience and wisdom to BIO and I'm very proud of

> him. "

>

> In addition, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society

> (NMSS) commented

> that throughout his career, Representative Greenwood

> has been a

> strong voice for the needs of patients. " While we

> are sad to see him

> leave Congress, " said NMSS CEO General Mike Dugan,

> " we are gratified

> that someone with his balanced perspective has been

> chosen to lead

> this important biotechnology industry group. We

> wish him well and

> look forward to working with him in his new role. "

>

> Greenwood will be taking over from Carl B. Feldbaum

> who has headed

> BIO since its establishment in July of 1993. BIO has

> grown from 16

> employees and a $2.1 million budget to almost a 100

> member staff with

> a $40 million budget. Membership has increased from

> 350 companies to

> over 1,000. BIO members are involved in the

> research and development

> of health-care, agricultural, industrial and

> environmental

> biotechnology products.

>

> Feldbaum, who announced in February that he would

> retire this year,

> said, " Jim Greenwood has the broad social

> perspective, the passion,

> ability and experience to lead BIO superbly in the

> future. I could

> not be more enthusiastic in passing this baton to

> our industry's next

> generation of leadership. "

>

> ### To sign up to receive BIO press releases

> either by email or by

> fax, to change your options, or to ,

> please visit

> http://www2.bio.org/members/biopresslist.asp.

>

>

>

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/111-07222004-335414.html

>

> Canceled hearing leaves mom in limbo

>

> By MARION CALLAHAN

> Bucks County Courier Times

>

> Kathy Woodward was finally hoping to get some

> answers.

>

> Top pharmaceutical industry officials and the Food

> and Drug

> Administration were scheduled to meet Tuesday to

> share with Congress

> what they know about the risks associated with

> antidepressants.

>

> Woodward, of North Wales, who believes her teenage

> daughter's suicide

> death was linked to side effects from an

> antidepressant, planned to

> be at the high-profile congressional hearing in

> hopes of learning why

> several studies critical of the drugs are kept

> secret.

> She's still waiting for those answers.

>

> Two days before the hearing, she learned it was

> canceled and that

> Rep. James Greenwood, R-8, the person she considered

> her chief

> advocate in getting drug companies to release these

> studies, was

> considering a job with Biotechnology Industry

> Organization, whose

> members include pharmaceutical companies.

>

> " Everyone was completely shocked that one, he would

> leave without

> holding this meeting and, two, where he's going, "

> she said. " We were

> so close to getting these pharmaceutical executives

> to testify before

> Congress. Now, it's all up in the air. It is

> unbelievable that he

> would announce his early 'retirement' forcing the

> postponement of

> this critical meeting. "

>

> Greenwood chairs the House Energy and Commerce

> subcommittee

> responsible for investigating public health issues.

> He was the

> driving force behind Tuesday's scheduled hearing,

> " Publication and

> Disclosure Issues in Anti-Depressant Pediatric

> Clinical Trials. "

> He wanted to make public a clinical study by FDA

> scientist Dr. Andrew

> Mosholder reportedly linking several antidepressants

> with increased

> rates of suicide. The hearing was expected to

> explore what clinical

> trial data the drug companies should make public and

> the role of the

> FDA.

>

> The lineup of testifiers included representatives

> from pharmaceutical

> giants Glaxo SmithKline, Eli Lilly, Pfizer Inc. and

> Wyeth, all of

> which manufacture antidepressants and are members of

> BIO, the trade

> association Greenwood might join.

>

> Representatives of the American Medical Association,

> the American

> Academy of Pediatrics and top FDA officials were

> also scheduled to

> testify.

>

> Larry Neal, spokesman for the energy and commerce

> committee, said the

> hearing's cancellation had nothing to do with

> Greenwood's job status.

> Instead, he said, the hearing was postponed because

> the

> subcommittee's lead counsel was called out of town.

> Woodward,

> however, doesn't buy that explanation. On Sunday,

> she said, she was

> told by Greenwood's aides that the cancellation

> occurred because

> of " personal reasons. "

>

> " It doesn't make sense why this is happening, "

> Woodward said. " Why

> not do this important hearing and then take the job.

> Why two days

> before? "

>

> Woodward has worked to warn the public about

> possible dangers of

> antidepressants since her 17-year-old daughter,

> Julie, hanged herself

> in the detached garage of her home on July 22, 2003.

> Kathy and her

> husband, Tom, believe her death was linked to side

> effects from

> Zoloft, an antidepressant Julie started that week.

>

> The risks of prescribing antidepressants for

> children and teenagers

> have come into the national spotlight this year on

> several fronts.

> While some psychiatrists believe the drugs can help

> in treating

> depression, they stress the need for careful

> monitoring of young

> patients. Woodward said she was never warned the

> drugs could have

> dangerous side effects.

>

> Greenwood decided to investigate potential dangers

> for young people

> who use antidepressants three months after the

> suicide of a Bensalem

> woman who was participating in a clinical trial in

> Indianapolis for

> an antidepressant at the time of her death.

>

> Greenwood said he began gathering data even before

> the Feb. 3 death

> of Traci Johnson, 19.

>

> Last spring, Greenwood said he began investigating

> U.S. policies on

> pediatric drug testing after reading articles about

> the European

> medical community's concerns over antidepressants

> causing suicidal

> tendencies in children. At the time, he said,

> parents should have

> access to all information, even reports that did not

> come from the

> FDA or American researchers, he said.

>

> The Courier Times was unsuccessful Wednesday in

> reaching Greenwood

> for comment.

>