WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 8, 2020) – Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America president and CEO, Stephen J. Ubl made the following statement:

“The biopharmaceutical industry is confident we can beat COVID-19 because science guides every aspect of our work. Our industry is committed to ensuring the highest of standards of research, clinical testing and manufacturing are upheld throughout the vaccine research and development process.

“As part of this commitment, this morning the leading biopharmaceutical companies working on vaccines for COVID-19 issued a pledge ‘to make the safety and well-being of vaccinated individuals the top priority in development of the first COVID-19 vaccines.’

“Because vaccines are given to healthy individuals, industry sponsors will be confident in the safety and efficacy of any new vaccine based on data from rigorous, large clinical trials including the expectation that diverse populations are included, before submitting the data to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other national regulatory agencies around the globe for review. We furthermore believe in a transparent review process of vaccine candidates by the FDA, including by the Agency’s Advisory Committees.

“Numerous approaches are being undertaken by our industry to research and develop vaccine candidates in collaboration with government agencies, academia and other entities. The decades-long investments biopharmaceutical companies have made in new technologies, research and previous vaccines have prepared our industry to act swiftly, without cutting corners, to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and we’re confident science will win.”

About PhRMA
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country’s leading innovative biopharmaceutical research companies, which are devoted to discovering and developing medicines that enable patients to live longer, healthier and more productive lives. Since 2000, PhRMA member companies have invested more than $900 billion in the search for new treatments and cures, including an estimated $79.6 billion in 2018 alone.

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