California Biomedical Leaders Weigh in on Healthcare Reform Debate
CHI Looks to Congress to Protect Innovation, Expand Patient Access
and Consider Economic Impact

(LA JOLLA, Calif., Nov. 12, 2009)–CHI-California Healthcare Institute, a non-profit public policy research organization, today released a series of videos featuring top California biomedical leaders and their perspectives on national healthcare reform.

“As the healthcare debate heats up in Washington, we wanted to give a voice to the people who have made California the world headquarters for biomedical R&D,” said David L. Gollaher, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer, CHI. “California’s biomedical innovators are key partners in improving American healthcare, as they work toward reform that protects future innovation, expands access to quality care and creates jobs.”

The CHI videos feature remarks from Gollaher as well as Hans Bishop, president, specialty medicine, Bayer HealthCare LLC; Michael Goldberg, partner, Mohr Davidow Ventures; Carl W. Hull, president and CEO, Gen-Probe Incorporated; John C. Martin, Ph.D., chairman of the board and CEO, Gilead Sciences; Michael A. Mussallem, chairman and CEO, Edwards Lifesciences; and Mark D. Smith, M.D., M.B.A., president and CEO, California HealthCare Foundation. The business and academic leaders address how healthcare reform might impact a range of topics, from venture capital investment and medical device product development to future treatments for HIV/AIDS. The speakers participated in CHI’s 2009 California Healthcare Policy Forum in San Francisco on Nov. 5.

A major engine of economic growth, California’s biomedical industry is made up of more than 2,000 biotechnology, medical device, diagnostics and pharmaceutical companies and employs more than 271,000 Californians.

To view, download, embed and share CHI healthcare reform videos as well as access other multimedia resources, please visit http://www.chi.org/policyforum09 .

About CHI
CHI represents more than 250 leading biotechnology, medical device, diagnostics, and pharmaceutical companies, and public and private academic biomedical research organizations. CHI’s mission is to advance responsible public policies that foster medical innovation and promote scientific discovery. CHI’s Web site is www.chi.org .

Contact:
Sarah Thailing
Thailing@chi.org
619-994-1895


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