AdvaMed Statement on Pres. Biden’s State of the Union Address
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This evening, President Joe Biden addressed the nation on the state of the union, including our national response to the COVID-19 pandemic and his Cancer Moonshot initiative. Scott Whitaker, President and CEO of the Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed), the world’s leading trade organization representing the medical technology industry, released the following statements in response to the President’s mention of two key issues that are fundamental to the medtech industry:
Joe Biden on COVID-19: “Because of the progress we’ve made, because of your resilience and the tools we have, tonight I can say we are moving forward safely, back to more normal routines. We’ve reached a new moment in the fight against COVID-19, with severe cases down to a level not seen since last July.
“And we’re launching the “Test to Treat” initiative so people can get tested at a pharmacy, and if they’re positive, receive antiviral pills on the spot at no cost. And on testing, we have made hundreds of millions of tests available for you to order for free. Even if you already ordered free tests tonight, I am announcing that you can order more from covidtests.gov starting next week.”
Whitaker responded: “Since the outset of the pandemic, the medtech industry has risen to the challenge and quickly mobilized to strengthen public health and protect people from Covid-19. Testing has been a critical component of our nation’s response to the pandemic, allowing children to safely return to classrooms and workers to their offices. As the President said, the medtech industry, alongside our partners across the health care sector, together, have provided the tools necessary to get us back to our normal lives.”
Joe Biden on Cancer Moonshot: “Our goal is to cut the cancer death rate by at least 50% over the next 25 years, turn more cancers from death sentences into treatable diseases. More support for patients and families. To get there, I call on Congress to fund ARPA-H, the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health… ARPA-H will have a singular purpose—to drive breakthroughs in cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and more.”
Whitaker responded: “I want to first thank President Biden for his commitment to ‘end cancer as we know it’ and his renewed Cancer Moonshot initiative. At every point along the cancer care continuum, from research and development to screening, treatment, and follow-up care, medical technology plays a critical role in saving and extending the lives of Americans suffering from cancer. Our members produce the technologies, diagnostic tests, and health information systems that are transforming cancer care. We are committed to supporting the President’s Cancer Moonshot initiative and look forward to working with the Administration and Congress to accelerate our collective fight against cancer.”
In addition to the ongoing work to address the COVID-19 pandemic and cancer initiatives, AdvaMed has worked closely with the Administration to address supply chain issues that are affecting medical technology manufacturers, especially when it comes to the supply of semiconductor chips that are essential to the health and wellbeing of millions of patients. In response to President Biden’s commitment to strengthening our supply chains, Whitaker said, “We are fighting to ensure patients are prioritized as we address supply chain concerns. While every industry is struggling to get the components they need, patients’ lives hang in the balance if our member companies are not able to get the resources they need to produce the devices these patients depend on. I am heartened by the strong working relationship we have built with the Administration on this issue, and we look forward to continue working alongside the federal government on behalf of the patients we serve.”
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AdvaMed member companies produce the medical devices, diagnostic products and health information systems that are transforming health care through earlier disease detection, less invasive procedures and more effective treatments. AdvaMed members range from the largest to the smallest medical technology innovators and companies. For more information, visit www.advamed.org.