Marcy Wheeler
As the NYT reported earlier today, Genentech/Roche wrote a Republican script and a Democratic script for its parrots to enter into the Congressional Record. Here’s what the Republican script looks like (I’m going to try to do the Democratic one next–but this is tedious stuff; and yes, Heath Shuler was working from the Republican script).
“I oppose this bill but love the appropriate balance it gives to monopolistic biologics”
Joe Wilson
I have criticized many of the provisions of this bill (H.R. 3962) and rightfully so. But in fairness, I do believe the sections relating to the creation of a market for biosimilar products is one area of the bill that strikes the appropriate balance in providing lower cost options to consumers without destroying a healthy and functioning industry in this country.
Jerry Moran
Mr. Speaker, after reviewing H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, listening to the concerns of Kansans, and visiting Kansas hospitals to speak with doctors, nurses, patients, and administrators, I have concluded that this bill will be harmful to Kansas and I strongly oppose it. However, I do believe the sections relating to the creation of a market for biosimilar products is one area of the bill that strikes the appropriate balance in providing lower cost options to patients without destroying a healthy and functioning industry in this country.
Kay Granger
Mr. Speaker, I have criticized the majority of the provisions in H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, and I will vote against it. However, I am pleased that H.R. 3962, as well as the Republican Substitute Amendment that I support, both include language relating to biosimilar products.
Lee Terry
Mr. Speaker, I have criticized many of the provisions of this bill and rightfully so. But in fairness, I do believe the sections relating to the creation of a market for biosimilar products is one area of the bill that strikes the appropriate balance in providing lower cost options to consumers without destroying a healthy and functioning industry in this country.
Ted Poe
I am strongly against H.R. 3962, and I will vote against it should it come to a vote on the House floor. However, I do believe the sections relating to the creation of a market for biosimilar products is one area of the bill that strikes the appropriate balance in providing lower cost options to consumers without destroying a healthy and functioning industry in this country.
Blaine Luetkemeyer
Mr. Speaker, I have criticized many of the provisions of this bill and rightfully so. However, one bi-partisan area that strikes the appropriate balance in providing lower-cost options to consumers without destroying a healthy and functioning industry in this country that is included in both the underlying bill, which I strongly oppose, and the Republican substitute, which I intend to support, are the sections relating to the creation of a market for biosimilar products.
Lynn Jenkins
Mr. Speaker, I have criticized many of the provisions of this bill and rightfully so. However, I do believe the sections relating to the creation of a market for biosimilar products is one area of the bill that strikes the appropriate balance in providing lower cost options to consumers without destroying a healthy and functioning industry in this country.
Mike Conaway
Mr. Speaker, I have criticized many of the provisions of H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, and with good reason. However, I believe that the creation of a market for biosimilar products is one area of the bill that strikes the appropriate balance in providing lower cost options to consumers without destroying a healthy and functioning industry in this country.
Darrell Issa
Despite this bill’s many faults, I support the bill’s language establishing a market for biosimilars which balances the desire to provide cheaper biologics with the need to continue incentivizing investment in research and development.
Kevin McCarthy
These are some of the many concerns I have with H.R. 3962, which is why I instead support the Republican health care alternative. The alternative excludes the unnecessary and burdensome excise tax in H.R. 3962, and also includes a responsible pathway for follow-on biologics by including provisions from the Pathways for Biosimilars Act, which I am a proud cosponsor of.
[snip]
But we need solutions that strike a balance in reducing health care costs, strengthening health care access, and allowing health innovators, like our biotech industry, to continue to research and improve therapies for patients.
Heath Shuler
Mr. Speaker, as you know I am opposed to the bill we are considering today for many reasons that I have articulated previously. I am pleased, however, that the bill strikes the appropriate balance on the issue of follow on biologics. This bipartisan compromise language will provide lower cost options to consumers and my constituents without destroying a healthy and functioning bio-tech industry in this country.
“Creating a pathway with incentives”
Joe Wilson
Creating a pathway for new products that doesn’t destroy the ability or the incentives for innovator companies to develop breakthrough technologies and at the same time providing a safe and effective way to bring competition to benefit patients is a laudable achievement.
Jerry Moran
Creating a pathway for new products that does not destroy the ability or the incentives for innovator companies to develop breakthrough technologies and, at the same time providing a safe and effective way to bring competition to benefit patients and encourage treatments, is a necessary objective.
Kay Granger
Creating a pathway for new products that doesn’t destroy the ability or the incentives for innovator companies to develop breakthrough technologies and at the same time providing a safe and effective way to bring competition to benefit patients is a laudable achievement.
Lee Terry
Creating a pathway for new products that doesn’t destroy the ability or the incentives for innovator companies to develop breakthrough technologies and at the same time providing a safe and effective way to bring competition to benefit patients is a laudable achievement.
Ted Poe
Creating a pathway for new products that doesn’t destroy the ability or the incentives for innovator companies to develop breakthrough technologies and at the same time providing a safe and effective way to bring competition to benefit patients is a laudable achievement.
Blaine Luetkemeyer
Creating a pathway for new products that doesn’t destroy the ability or the incentives for innovator companies to develop breakthrough technologies and, at the same time, providing a safe and effective way to bring competition to benefit patients is a laudable achievement.
Lynn Jenkins
Creating a pathway for new products that doesn’t destroy the ability or the incentives for innovator companies to develop breakthrough technologies and at the same time providing a safe and effective way to bring competition to benefit patients is a laudable achievement.
Mike Conaway
Creating a pathway for new products that does not destroy the ability or the incentives for innovator companies to develop breakthrough technology and at the same time provide a safe and effective way to bring competition to benefit patients is a creditable achievement.
Heath Shuler
I believe it is critical that the creation of a pathway for new products does not destroy the ability or the incentives of innovator companies to develop breakthrough technologies. We have a moral obligation to provide a safe and effective pathway of bringing competition that will benefit patients.
“I wish upon a star”
Joe Wilson
I wish we could remove this provision from this fatally flawed piece of legislation and consider it separately because it would pass with the kind of overwhelming bi-partisan support that Americans across the country wish to see.
Jerry Moran
I wish we could remove these specific provisions from H.R. 3962 and consider them separately because it would most likely pass with the kind of overwhelming bipartisan support.
Kay Granger
I wish we could remove this provision from this bill so that I could vote for it on its own. I believe that if this provision was considered on its own it would pass the House of Representatives with bipartisan support.
Lee Terry
I wish we could remove this provision from this fatally flawed piece of legislation and consider it separately because it would pass with the kind of overwhelming bi-partisan support that Americans across the country wish to see.
Ted Poe
I wish we could remove this provision from this fatally flawed piece of legislation and consider it separately because it would pass with the kind of overwhelming bi-partisan support that Americans across the country wish to see.
Blaine Luetkemeyer
I wish we could remove this provision from this fatally flawed piece of legislation and consider it separately because it would pass with the kind of overwhelming bi-partisan support that Americans across the country wish to see.
Lynn Jenkins
I wish we could remove this provision from this fatally flawed piece of legislation and consider it separately because it would pass with the kind of overwhelming bipartisan support that Americans across the country wish to see.
Heath Shuler
I wish we could consider this as a stand-alone bill because it would pass with the kind of overwhelming bi-partisan support that Americans across the country wish to see.
“A homegrown success story!!!”
Joe Wilson
One of the reasons I have long supported the U.S. biotechnology industry is that it is a homegrown success story that has been an engine of job creation in this country.
Kay Granger
One of the reasons I have long supported the U.S. biotechnology industry is that it is a homegrown success story that has been an engine of job creation in this country.
Lee Terry
One of the reasons I have long supported the U.S. biotechnology industry is that it is a homegrown success story that has been an engine of job creation in this country.
Ted Poe
One of the reasons I have long supported the U.S. biotechnology industry is that it is a homegrown success story that has been an engine of job creation in this country.
Blaine Luetkemeyer
One of the reasons I have long supported the U.S. biotechnology industry is that it is a homegrown success story that has been an engine of job creation in this country.
Lynn Jenkins
One of the reasons I have long supported the U.S. biotechnology industry is that it is a homegrown success story that has been an engine of job creation in this country.
Heath Shuler
One of the reasons I have long supported the U.S. biotechnology industry is that it is a homegrown success story that has been an engine of job creation in this country and in my home state of North Carolina.
Also in that Room: Democratic Biotech-Paid Whores
In my last post, I showed you what a roomful of Republican biotech-paid whores looks like. But in that same room are the following Democratic biotech-paid whores.
Two comments on this. First, both the Republicans and Democrats included a talking point that I haven’t included in these two posts–talking about the necessity to do testing to make sure the biosimilars are interchangeable (Peterr collects the Dem version here). I aspire to do a post collecting all of them to show you bipartisan whoredom in action, if I recover from this tedium.
The other thing: check out the difference in talking points. Sure, the biotech lobbies made Republicans look like assholes. But they basically scripted Democrats into parroting simple five-paragraph essays of the kind you had to write when you were in third grade: Thesis, 1, 2, 3, conclusion. Are they suggesting Democrats can’t handle a script–a frigging script submitted to the record, not read!!–harder than that? If they weren’t already ashamed at being industry whores, they really ought to hang their heads for how stupid the industry made them appear.
“Another significant benefit: jobs jobs jobs!”
Bob Filner
I wanted to draw attention to another significant benefit of this legislation: the creation of new high-paying jobs in this country. Let me repeat that for some of my friends on the other side of the aisle, this bill will create high-paying, high-quality jobs in healthcare delivery, technology and research in the United States.
Yvette Clarke
Another significant benefit of this legislation, which has not received as much attention, will be the creation of new high paying jobs, high quality jobs in healthcare delivery, technology and research in the United States.
Donald Payne
Another significant benefit of this legislation which has not received as much attention will be the creation of new high-paying jobs in this country. Let me repeat that for some of my friends on the other side of the aisle, this bill will create high-paying, high-quality jobs in healthcare delivery, technology and research in the United States.
Bill Pascrell
Another significant benefit of this legislation which has not received as much attention will be the creation of new high-paying jobs in this country. Let me repeat that for some of my friends on the other side of the aisle: this bill will create high-paying, high-quality jobs in health care delivery, technology, and research in the United States.
Phil Hare
With unemployment at its highest level since 1983, another significant benefit of this legislation that should be highlighted is the creation of new high-paying jobs in this country. Let me repeat that for some of my friends on the other side of the aisle, this bill will create high-paying, high-quality jobs in healthcare delivery, technology and research in the United States.
Linda Sanchez
But another significant benefit of this legislation which has not received much attention is its promotion of high-paying research, high tech, and manufacturing jobs. Contrary to the claims that this is a “job killing bill,” in fact, this bill will create thousands of jobs here in the United States.
Robert Brady
Another significant benefit of this legislation which has not received as much attention will be the creation of new high-paying jobs in this country. Let me repeat that for some of my friends on the other side of the aisle, this bill will create high-paying, high-quality jobs in healthcare delivery, technology, and research in the United States.
“1) An enormous demand for healthcare workers!”
Bob Filner
First, this bill will create enormous demand for healthcare workers, especially in the area of primary care.
Yvette Clarke
First, this bill will create enormous demand for healthcare workers, especially in the area of primary care.
Donald Payne
First, this bill will create enormous demand for healthcare workers, especially in the area of primary care.
Bill Pascrell
First, H.R. 3962 will create enormous demand for health care workers, especially in the area of primary care.
Phil Hare
This bill will additionally create enormous demand for healthcare workers, especially in the area of primary care.
Linda Sanchez
First, this bill will increase demand for healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, home health workers, and more.
Robert Brady
First, this bill will create enormous demand for healthcare workers, especially in the area of primary care.
“2) Health information technologies”
Bob Filner
Second, this bill will continue the efforts we began in the stimulus package to deploy new health information technologies that better manage both the quality of care people receive and the cost at which they receive it.
Yvette Clarke
Second, this bill will continue the efforts we began in the stimulus package to deploy new health information technologies that better manage both the quality of care and the cost of it.
Donald Payne
Second, this bill will continue the efforts we began in the stimulus package to deploy new health information technologies that better manage both the quality of care people receive and the cost at which they receive it.
Bill Pascrell
Second, the Affordable Health Care for America Act will continue the efforts we began in the stimulus package to deploy new health information technologies that better manage both the quality of care people receive and the cost at which they receive it.
Phil Hare
The Affordable Health Care for America Act will continue the efforts this Congress first undertook in the Recovery Act that deployed new health information technologies throughout our healthcare system. These technologies help to better manage both the quality of care people receive and the cost at which they receive it.
Linda Sanchez
Second, this bill will continue the investments begun in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, also known as the stimulus bill, to expand the use of health information technology.Health IT will help better manage the quality and cost of care patients receive by eliminating duplicative tests and ensuring that patients don’t receive the wrong medicine or the wrong dose.
Robert Brady
Second, this bill will continue the efforts we began in the stimulus package to deploy new health information technologies that better manage both the quality of care people receive and the cost at which they receive it.
“3) High quality research opportunities!”
Bob Filner
Third, this bill will create high quality research opportunities in this country. The Energy and Commerce Committee enacted a framework for allowing biosimilar competition in this country. This new class of medicines will help lower costs and bring competition to one area that is key to the future of our healthcare system. Biotechnology is on the cutting edge of efforts to reducing costly invasive procedures and allowing our constituents to live healthier and more productive lives.
Yvette Clarke
Third, this bill will create new research opportunities in this country. The Energy and Commerce Committee enacted a framework for allowing biosimilar competition in this country. This new class of medicines will help lower costs and bring competition to one area that is key to the future of our healthcare system. Biotechnology is on the cutting edge of efforts to reduce costly invasive procedures, thereby allowing our constituents to live healthier and more productive lives.
Donald Payne
Third, this bill will create high quality research opportunities in this country. The Energy and Commerce Committee enacted a framework for allowing biosimilar competition in this country. This new class of medicines will help lower costs and bring competition to one area that is key to the future of our healthcare system. Biotechnology is on the cutting edge of efforts to reducing costly invasive procedures and allowing our constituents to live healthier and more productive lives.
Bill Pascrell
Third, H.R. 3962 will create high quality research opportunities for America. The legislation under consideration establishes a framework for allowing biosimilar competition in this country. This new class of medicines will help lower costs and bring competition to an area that is a key to the future of our health care system. Biotechnology is on the cutting edge of efforts to reduce costly invasive procedures and allow our constituents to live healthier and more productive lives.
Phil Hare
[presented first in the series] This bill creates a framework for allowing biosimilar competition in this country, which has the potential to lead to a new class of generic biologic medicines that will help lower costs and bring competition to one of the areas that will be key to the future of our healthcare system.
Linda Sanchez
Finally, this bill will promote more of what America already does so well: medical research. By allowing more Americans access to health insurance, this bill will increase the demand for advanced medical technologies that are manufactured right here in America. And by creating a process for the Food and Drug Administration to approve so-called “biosimilar” drugs, this bill will encourage competition in the cutting edge field of biologic drugs. This new class of medicines will help cure and treat more Americans at lower costs.
Robert Brady
Third, this bill will create high quality research opportunities in this country. The Energy and Commerce Committee enacted a framework for allowing biosimilar competition in this country. This new class of medicines will help lower costs and bring competition to one area that is key to the future of our healthcare system. Biotechnology is on the cutting edge of efforts to reducing costly invasive procedures and allowing our constituents to live healthier and more productive lives.
TL;DR summery: The Bio-tech industry sent a script to several Republicans and Blue-Dog Democrats, and they are on record as quoting from it exactly. The pols can't even come up with their own criticisms of the bill, they need to be told what to say by their corporate masters.
