Best & Brightest Forum: Philadelphia

Best and Brightest Forum on Medical Innovation: Philadelphia

Event Summary

On December 15, PhRMA sponsored and co-hosted the “Best and Brightest Forum on Medical Innovation” to focus attention on the serious challenges facing the United States in maintaining its global leadership position in medical innovation. The event was co-hosted by Pennsylvania Bio, BioAdvance, and Select Greater Philadelphia. Also during the event, survey research by APCO Insight was released, which found that the medical community is concerned about the future of medical innovation in the U.S. and believes government policy is key to continued success in medical innovation.

View the video from the forum >>

Former Congressman Richard Gephardt served as the Master of Ceremonies and facilitated two panel discussions. The panels featured economic leaders, academic scholars, researchers, biopharmaceutical company representatives, education experts and other stakeholders, including:

Dennis M. "Mickey" Flynn, President of Pennsylvania Bio
Glen N. Gaulton, Ph.D., Executive Vice Dean, Chief Scientific Officer at The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Brenda Gavin, D.V.M., M.B.A., Founding Partner of Quaker BioVentures
Paul Howard, Ph.D.,Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for Medical Progress at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research
Russel Kaufman, M.D., President and CEO of the Wistar Institute
Alan Leshner, Ph.D., CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
Joseph M. Mahady, President of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and Senior Vice President at Wyeth
Thomas Morr, President and CEO of Select Greater Philadelphia
David B. Nash, M.D., M.B.A., Dean of the Jefferson School of Health Policy and Population Health at Thomas Jefferson University
Barbara S. Schilberg, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of BioAdvance
The Honorable Joe Sestak (D-PA), U.S. House of Representatives
George Wohlreich, M.D., Director and CEO of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia

Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell delivered the keynote address, which focused on innovative ideas currently under implementation in Pennsylvania, and the urgent need to invest in science and math education at every level – particularly in early childhood education.

The event, which attracted an audience of over 100 leaders in business, health care, academia, public policy and the media, has generated significant momentum around the issue of medical innovation. The Philadelphia Inquirer ran a piece by Miriam Hill, entitled, “A Booster for Health Care,” emphasizing the importance of investing in innovation. Forbes.com also ran an article, entitled “Governor Rendell Says Life Science Industry Will Fuel New Breakthroughs, Generate Jobs.” A number of participants have expressed interest in continuing to engage with other stakeholders to increase investment in medical innovation in the United States.

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Quotes

The rest of the world is catching up. Science excellence is no longer the domain of just the U.S.

John E. Jankowski

A senior analyst at the National Science Foundation

The sky is not falling on science. Maybe there are some clouds, no, things that need attention. Any problems are within the power of the United States to deal with in a way that maintains the vitality of the research enterprise.

John H. Marburger III

Science Adviser to the President and Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy

Businesses are going to China not just because of low costs, but to take advantage of China's growing scientific excellence… It's frightening. But you've got to go where the horses are... An eventual danger is the slow loss of intellectual property as local professionals start their own businesses with what they have learned from American companies.

Ross Armbrecht

Former president of the Industrial Research Institute

Many other countries have realized that science and technology are key to economic growth and prosperity. They're catching up to us. Americans [can not] rest on our laurels.

Jennifer Bond

Former vice president for international affairs of the Council on Competitiveness

We absolutely must strengthen our talent pool. Otherwise, we will lose our competitive edge within a generation.

Charlene Barshefsky

An Asia expert who served as U.S. trade representative under President Clinton

Closing the door to foreign professionals puts U.S. companies at a competitive disadvantage and pushes jobs out of the country. Worse, it does so at a time when other nations are rolling out the welcome mat… If the U.S. spurns this human capital, it will find a home somewhere else. And that will be America's loss.

The Wall Street Journal Editorial

November 30, 2007

In China today, Bill Gates is Britney Spears. In America today, Britney Spears is Britney Spears--and that is our problem.

Tom Friedman

Author and columnist for the New York Times

We have a different kind of war, an economic war. The importance of investing in long-term research for winning that war hasn't been understood.

Robert Birgeneau

Physicist and chancellor of University of California, Berkeley

This is like Sputnik. We need to give this the same focus and energy.

Donald Evans

Former Secretary of Commerce, speaking about American competitiveness

By almost any measure – academic prizes, patents granted to U.S. companies, the trade deficit in high-technology products – we’re losing ground while countries like China, South Korea and India are catching up fast. Unless things change, they will overtake us, and the breathtaking burst of discovery that has been driving our economy for the past half-century will be over.

Excerpt from TIME Magazine

“Are We Losing Our Edge?” February 5, 2006

It's unbelievable. It's amazing to see these output numbers of papers and patents going up so fast.

Diana Hicks

Chairwoman of the school of public policy at the Georgia Institute of Technology, speaking about Asia's growth in science and technical innovation.

We have to turn inward and take responsibility at the grass-roots level and try to deal with the education gap that affects our country. We are producing fewer math and science majors than China or India per year. Does this make sense when we want to move up the knowledge ladder? I think not.

Carla Hills

U.S. trade representative under the first President Bush

Over the long run, few issues are as important to a nation’s long-term economic security and global standing as being a leader in moving life sciences forward.

Lawrence Summers

Director of the National Economic Council

Once admired as engines of American innovation, drug companies are now treated like Big Tobacco on Capitol Hill.

The Wall Street Journal

January 28, 2008

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Best & Brightest Forum: Philadelphia

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