Today, President Biden convened global leaders to confront the challenges around ending this pandemic. We stand with the president, all governments, organizations and sectors in a shared commitment to:
- Vaccinate the world;
- Save lives now; and
- Be better prepared for the next public health crisis.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, America’s biopharmaceutical companies have come together in unprecedented ways to attack the virus. These include enhancing testing availability, working closely with hospitals and physicians on thousands of clinical trials, and teaming up with competitors and new partners through hundreds of collaborations in countries around the world to manufacture and deliver vaccines.
Biopharmaceutical companies have ramped up COVID-19 vaccine production from zero to as many as 12 billion doses this year. We are also working to address barriers standing in the way of global vaccination, including vaccine hesitancy and further increasing production and partnerships. As I’ve said previously, waiving commitments to protect vaccine intellectual property would threaten our collective ability to meet the ambitious global vaccination goals by compromising efforts to expand global manufacturing capacity and jeopardize safety.
Plus, our companies continue to innovate as the virus evolves, with ongoing research into new and existing treatments and vaccines. Today, there are more than 600 global unique therapies for COVID-19 in trial, including several that have already made their way to patients. Furthermore, COVID-19 has demonstrated that we need a more resilient health care system that works for all patients and robust support for innovation. For instance, we were prepared to fight COVID-19 due to years of industry investments in technology, like mRNA. We need to make these same smart investments today to prepare for tomorrow’s world.
Our industry will continue to drive coordination, collaboration and joint problem-solving across the research and development, manufacturing and distribution ecosystems to fight the pandemic. Our work is not done. I was honored to participate in this international gathering focused on solutions that will end this pandemic and get our world back to normal. The biopharmaceutical industry is committed to being a partner with all stakeholders to beat COVID-19.
To read more about PhRMA’s commitment to COVID-19, please click here.
Stephen J. Ubl
Stephen J. Ubl is president and chief executive officer of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), which represents America’s leading biopharmaceutical research companies. The U.S. biopharmaceutical sector directly employs more than 800,000 Americans and invests more than $100 billion in research and development annually – more than any other industry in America.
Ubl leads PhRMA’s work preserving and strengthening a health care and economic environment that encourages medical innovation, new drug discovery and access to life-saving medicines. Ubl is recognized around the world as a leading health care advocate and policy expert who collaborates successfully with diverse stakeholder groups – including patient and physician groups, regulators, public and private payers, and global trade organizations – to help ensure timely patient access to innovative treatments and cures. The New York Times writes, “If anyone can find areas of agreement with the critics, or at least work productively with them, it may be Mr. Ubl. He is more conversant with the intricacies of health policy, and more adept at the politics."
Previously, Ubl served as president and CEO of medical technology association AdvaMed, where he helped facilitate landmark reforms related to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration product review process and Medicare’s coverage and reimbursement of medical technologies. He led the industry’s defense of breakthrough R&D, successfully delaying an innovation-stifling device tax, and, in 2013, was recognized by a leading industry publication as one of 10 people to have a lasting impact on the medical technology industry.
Ubl has worked extensively with patient advocacy organizations in health policy, including longstanding service on the board of the National Health Council, a leading umbrella organization for voluntary health care organizations and has been personally involved with JDRF (formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation).
He is routinely recognized as one of Washington’s most effective advocates. Ubl has been recognized on Business Insider’s “DC Healthcare Power Players” and Modern Healthcare’s “100 Most Influential People in Healthcare.” He is identified as a top health influencer by Medical Marketing & Media and PR Week magazines.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/steveubl/
President and Chief Executive Officer
A global focus on ending the COVID-19 pandemic
A global focus on ending the COVID-19 pandemic
A global focus on ending the COVID-19 pandemic