To Whom It May Concern,
I, as Founder of The BioScience Center in Albuquerque, the only biotechnology focused business incubator in New Mexico am writing to support the "Biosimilar" legislation being introduced during the current legislative session.
It is significant to me that major "players" in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries are in New Mexico and spending resources here. That's important because we are a small State that all too often is an afterthought to these kinds of national entities. I support passage of this bill because it will help patients and it puts us in the forefront of adapting to the future instead of lagging others as we do all too often.
It is my view that the attention we are getting and will get as a result of passing this bill will go a long way to bringing attention and investment to the State from those who don't know we in the U.S. and generally ignore us.
Yours truly,
Stuart A. Rose, PhD
The BioScience Center
stuart.rose@thebiosciencecenter.com
New legislation to be Heard on Feb. 22, could bring New Mexicans new life-saving cures
For Immediate Release Jan, 30, 2017
Contact: Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino
505-986-4482
jortizyp@msn.com
Santa Fe, N.M. Feb. 22, 2017 ' New Mexico Senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino (D-Albuquerque) and Rep. Deborah Armstrong (D-Albuquerque) have introduced two companion bills that ensure the state stays on the cutting edge of medical technology.
SB180 and HB260 both passed committees in the New Mexico House and Senate and SB180 was to be heard on the floor of the New Mexico Senate on Feb. 22, 2017. The bills will update New Mexico's laws to match those of 26 other states and Puerto Rico for the first time. They will make more biosimilar medication substitutions available, which wil bring more competition and possibly lower prescription prices across the state. Biologics are medical treatments that have proved effective in high-risk patients with cancer, heart disease, arthritis, multiple sclerosis and other serious conditions. These medicines not only treat symptoms, but treat the illness at the source.
Because biosimilars are engineered to provide the same effectiveness as the biologics they are modeled after, additional options will give phyisicians and pharmacists several choices on what medicines patients can receive. More options will ensure greater access to lifesaving treatments and an opportunity to allow the market to better manage costs.
"New Mexico lags in many respects, I don't want to see us fall behind and not allow crucial medicines to reach those that need them," said Ortiz y Pino. "These new cutting-edge treatments are literally lifesavers for patients who are suffering from devastiating illnesses."
Before they become FDA-approved, a biosimilar must be categorized as "highly similar" to another biologic drug already approved by the FDA, or what's called a "reference product." Biosimilars are held to the same standards as the reference product'no meaningful clinical differences'in terms of safety and effectiveness.
"This new bill will make sure New Mexicans have the same access to lifesaving medications that those in other states already have," said Armstrong. "These new cutting-edge treatments are literally lifesavers for patients who are suffering from devastiating illnesses. Let's allow New Mexcians to have the same access to these treatments that those in 26 other sates have."
The FDA has approved four biosimilars. With the introduction of biosimilars comes the need to create a pathway in New Mexico law for this new classification of treatment. HB260 and SB180 grants New Mexico patients and prescribers access to interchangeable biological drug products, opening the doors for new treatment options.
Similar legislation has been passed in 26 states and Puerto Rico, and has been supported by a broad coalition of local and national patient and advocacy groups and healthcare interests, including, but not limited to, the American College of Rheumatology, American Academy of Dermatology, American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, Alliance of Specialty Medicine (American Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, American College of Mohs Surgery, American Gastroenterological Association, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, American Society of Echocardiography, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, American Urological Association, Coalition of State Rheumatology Organizations, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, North American Spine Society, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, Society for Excellence in Eyecare), National Medical Association, National Hispanic Medical Association, Association of American Indian Physicians, Association of Black Cardiologists, and the Alliance for Patient Access - National Biologics Physicians Workgroup, American Cancer Society-Cancer Action Network, American Liver Foundation, Arthritis Foundation, American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America, Digestive Disease National Coalition, Global Colon Cancer Association, Health HIV, Hemophilia Federation of America, International Cancer Action Advocacy Network, International Myeloma Foundation, Kidney Cancer Association, Lupus and Allied Diseases Association, Global Healthy Living Foundation, National Kidney Foundation, National Organization for Rare Disorders , National Patient Advocate Foundation, National Psoriasis Foundation, RetireSafe, U.S. Pain Foundation, and Women Against Prostate Cancer and Zero Cancer.
The full text of SB180 HB260 can be accessed at nmlegis.gov.