We Work for Health Colorado is a coalition of patient advocates, economic development organizations, bioscience companies, trade associations, labor unions and higher education institutions working together to educate our elected leaders, the news media and the communities they serve about the important contributions the biopharmaceutical industry and its employees make to the health and economic security of the State of Colorado. The biopharmaceutical sector is the foundation of one of Colorado’s most dynamic innovation and business ecosystems. Not only does the industry invest heavily in the research and development of new treatments and cures, it also generates high quality jobs, powers economic output and exports for the U.S. economy and sustains a very large-scale supply chain.
Supporting High Quality Jobs in Colorado
The innovative biopharmaceutical sector directly supported 8,621 jobs in Colorado in 2017. These jobs are often high-skill, high-wage professions.
The industry also supported another 37,111 jobs indirectly, for a total of about 45,732 jobs across the Colorado economy. These additional jobs are with vendors and suppliers such as construction companies and I.T. companies, and jobs generated by the sector’s employees such as day care centers and restaurants.
Colorado workers whose jobs were supported by the biopharmaceutical sector paid a total of $707.4 million in personal taxes in 2017—$625.7 million in federal taxes and $81.8 million in state taxes.
Colorado's Economic Impact
In 2017, the biopharmaceutical sector supported $11.2 billion in economic output for the state of Colorado—including $4.3 billion generated directly by the sector, and another $6.8 billion through its vendors and suppliers and through the economic activity of its workforce.
Direct Output per Direct Employee in 2017
vendor relationships
vendor spending
$460,369,168
Find Your
Elected Officials
Partners
Co-Chairs
Kelly Brough, President and CEO, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce
Karen Brown, CEO, Seniors Matter
Eileen Doherty, Executive Director, Colorado Gerontological Society
Donald M. Elliman, Jr. Chancellor, University of Colorado’s Denver & Anschutz Medical Campuses
Mark Ferrufino, President and CEO, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Denver
Todd Headley, President, Colorado State University Ventures
Jennifer Jones Paton, President and CEO, Colorado BioScience Association
Carleen McGuffey, Climbing for Carleen
Patient Advocacy/Service Organizations
Ability Connection Colorado
Aging 2.0 Denver
Amada Senior Care
American Diabetes Association
American Heart Association
American Liver Foundation – Rocky Mountain Division
American Lung Association
Alzheimer’s Association
Arts and Wellness Cervical Cancer/HPV Awareness Campaign
Can Do Multiple Sclerosis
Center for Health Progress
Coalition of Hematology and Oncology Practices
Colorado Parents for Vaccinated Communities
Climbing for Carleen
Colorado Access
Colorado Children’s Immunization Coalition
Colorado Chronic Care Collaborative
Colorado Coalition for the Medically Underserved
Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition
Colorado Gerontological Society
Colorado Health Network/Colorado AIDS Project
Colorado Ovarian Cancer Alliance
Colorado Springs Health Partners
Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation – Rocky Mountain Chapter
Don’t Look Back Center
Easter Seals Colorado
Epilepsy Foundation of Colorado
Global Down Syndrome Foundation
Healthier Colorado
Heather Gardens Senior Community Center
Hope Lives
International Cancer Advocacy Network
Liver Health Connection
LUNGevity Foundation
Lupus Colorado
Mamas Facing Forward
Mental Health Colorado
Metro Denver Oncology Nursing Society
NAMI Colorado
National Hemophilia Foundation Colorado
National MS Society, Colorado-Wyoming Chapter
One Colorado
Peer Coach Academy Colorado
Prostate Conditions Education Council
Ray of Hope Cancer Foundation
Rocky Mountain Employers Health Council
Rocky Mountain MS Center
Rocky Mountain Stroke Center
Scleroderma Foundation – Rocky Mountain Chapter
Senior Matters
Servicios de La Raza
SLC6A1 Connect
Susan G. Komen Colorado
Voices for Awareness Foundation
Young People in Recovery
Business/Economic Development/Biopharmaceutical Partners
Adams County Economic Development Council
Action 22, Inc.
Amgen
Arvada Economic Development Council
AstraZeneca
Aurora Chamber of Commerce
Aurora Economic Development Council
Bayer HealthCare
Boomtown HealthTech Accelerator
Boulder Chamber of Commerce
Boulder Economic Council
Brighton Economic Development Council
Broomfield Economic Development Council
Club 20
Colorado Chamber of Commerce
Colorado BioScience Association
Colorado BioScience Institute
Colorado Business Roundtable
Colorado Competitive Council
Colorado Department of Labor & Employment
Colorado Innovation Network
Colorado Institute for Drug, Device and Diagnostic Development
Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade
Colorado Springs Regional Economic Development Council
Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce
Economic Development Council of Colorado
Eli Lilly & Company
Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority
Forest City Enterprises
GlaxoSmithKline
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Denver
Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation
Johnson & Johnson
Longmont Area Economic Development Council
MenoGeniX
Merck & Co.
Metro Denver Economic Development Council
Metro North Chamber of Commerce
Northern Colorado Economic Development Councilv
Novartis Pharmaceuticals
Otsuka America Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
PhRMA
Progressive 15
Rocky Mountain Venture Capital Association
South Metro Denver Chamber
Sunovion
Vivaldi BioSciences
West Metro Chamber
Academic/Research Institutions
Colorado State University
University of Colorado Denver
University of Colorado Boulder Mental Health Task Force
Colorado State University Ventures
University of Colorado Technology Transfer Office
Labor
Colorado Professional Fire Fighters
Communications Workers of America
United Transportation Union
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If your organization is interested in joining We Work For Health Colorado, please click the button below and complete our form!
