ADVOCACY

Oregon Bio represents the diverse and dynamic bioscience community in Oregon and Southwest Washington, advocating for policies that drive innovation, economic growth, and improved patient outcomes. Our efforts span local, state, and federal levels, ensuring that the voice of our industry is heard where it matters most.

With members in both states, we work closely with dedicated lobbyists in Salem and Olympia, as well as Oregon's congressional delegation in Washington, D.C., to advance initiatives that strengthen the bioscience ecosystem. From supporting workforce development to ensuring access to cutting-edge therapies, our advocacy work focuses on creating opportunities for researchers, entrepreneurs, and companies to thrive while promoting equitable access to healthcare solutions.

Policy Areas

Oregon Bio strives to enhance Oregon’s biotech ecosystem and community of researchers, entrepreneurs, and employers. We do this by advocating for policies that catalyze innovation, capital investment, and ultimately commercialized treatments and cures used in Oregon and SW Washington and throughout the world. We tell the stories of as well as work to replicate our region’s biggest innovation successes.
The biotech sector has a strong track record of creating a wide range of jobs for a diverse base of employees. We employ people with all levels of education and professional experience. Oregon Bio partners with the business community, our state and local governments, and our employer base to ensure we have the tools to recruit top talent to the region, develop our existing workforce, and give those looking to start new careers the tools they need to find high-quality, long-term jobs.
We support programs and policies that ensure all patients and families can benefit from the therapies, devices, and diagnostics our members develop. It’s crucial that mechanisms exist to protect opportunities and coverage for early diagnosis, intervention, and ongoing treatment, regardless of race, ethnicity, income level, or geography.
Our members' work is driven first and foremost by patient outcomes. Policies should ensure that patient safety, privacy, access, and treatment always come before cost-cutting measures or the political will of healthy populations. This is especially true for those facing rare and orphan conditions, often with few options for treatment or cures.

State Priorities

Defending Access to Innovation

Oftentimes, well-intentioned policy proposals can have implications for access to new treatments or those still in development. Price caps, lack of transparency for pharmacy benefit managers, and diversion of drugs priced for vulnerable patients risk access to existing treatments and can have a chilling effect on research and development as well as available funding for new exploration.

Diagnostic Tools

Oregon Bio supports policies and investments in tools that can lead to interventions and cures for rare or chronic diseases. Biomarkers are important for identifying risks and individuals amenable to treatments. Newborn screening can save significant time and expense for families and provide years of higher-quality life for children with genetic disorders. We urge policymakers to support laws ensuring Oregon and Washington provide the same level of access to diagnosis as other states.

Funding Mechanisms for Entrepreneurialism

State governments are important partners in moving foundational research to full-blown companies that build our tax and employment base. This includes investments in our bioscience incubator, SBIR, and STTR funding, as well as the staff and programs managed by Business Oregon.

National Advocacy and Collaboration

Oregon Bio collaborates with a network of organizations dedicated to advancing the bioscience industry both nationally and globally. As part of this network, Oregon Bio takes part in federal advocacy days, supports targeted policy initiatives, and works with Oregon-based organizations to contribute to national advocacy efforts when relevant.

To address the diverse challenges facing the bioscience sector, Oregon Bio partners with national organizations to stay informed about federal-level developments and provide resources tailored to industry advocacy. These trusted partners include:

The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) is the world's largest advocacy association representing member companies, state biotechnology groups, academic and research institutions, and related organizations across the United States and in 30+ countries.

As a proactive voice of science and for science, BIO is driving a revolution to cure patients, protect the climate, and nourish humanity through education and advocacy that unites the industry, removes barriers to innovation, and champions broad access to biotech breakthroughs and scientific equality.

View BIO's Advocacy Toolkit

The Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed), is a trade association that leads the effort to advance medical technology in order to achieve healthier lives and healthier economies around the world.

AdvaMed promotes competitive policies that foster the highest ethical standards, rapid product approvals, appropriate reimbursement, and access to international markets. While those policies are tailored to specific issues facing the device and diagnostics industry, the need for strategic government policies is applicable to all high technology, high-value sectors.

View AdvaMed's Issues Toolkit

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