SAN DIEGO – At a We Work For Health roundtable on June 20, the organization and its partners honored Rep. Scott Peters (CA-50) with the Healthcare Leadership Innovation Award.
We Work For Health Executive Director Dan Leonard presented Rep. Peters with the award to recognize the Congressman’s support for policies that foster innovation, including increasing NIH funding, protecting the U.S. patent system and advocating for science-based regulations. Leonard delivered remarks about the importance of the biopharmaceutical workforce, which sustains California’s diverse economy and delivers transformative care to patients in every corner of the state.
According to Biocom California’s recently released 2024 Life Science Economic Impact Report, there are more than 16,576 life science establishments in California. The state supports 466,888 directly employed life science workers and 1.24 million total jobs connected to the industry. This powers an annual economic output of $414.2 billion, which is critical in a state where the cost of living continues to increase.
In addition, We Work For Health recently analyzed vendor data from 15 major biopharmaceutical companies in California, covering more than 7,600 vendor relationships across the state that generate more than $7 billion in vendor spending.
During the roundtable event, participants discussed the future of biopharmaceutical innovation in California, near-term legislative and regulatory priorities, and challenges that face the life sciences industry and the patients it serves. In recognition of Alzheimer's and Brain Health Awareness Month, Rep. Peters and others also connected these initiatives to empowering patients.
The roundtable participants included:
· Jimmy Jackson, SVP & Chief Policy Officer, Biocom California
· Scott Suckow, Executive Director, Liver Coalition of San Diego
· Eugenia Welch, President/CEO, Alzheimer’s San Diego
· Debbie Shaeffer, Executive Director, International Bipolar Foundation
· Mike Hartley, California Pipe Trades (UA)
· Dave Boyer, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Neurocrine Biosciences
· Paul Garza, Senior Director of Quality Control, Genentech
· Matt Welsh, Government Affairs Director, Lundbeck
· Chad Toledo, Ph.D., Senior Principal Scientist, Pfizer
· Dan Leonard, Executive Director, WWFH