AdvaMed Leaders Stress the Importance of Innovation, FDA Reform, and Exports
Posted: September 26, 2011
Advamed chairman James Mazzo and Advamed CEO Stephen J. Ubl
AdvaMed chairman James Mazzo (left) and AdvaMed CEO Stephen J. Ubl are working to secure the U.S.'s medtech leadership role. 

At AdvaMed 2011, AdvaMed board chairman Jim Mazzo and CEO Steve Ubl sat down with the press to outline their goals for the medical sevice industry and explain how the association would try to influence policy on Capitol Hill. At the fore of their presentation was innovation and securing the United States' position (and rightfully so, of course). Mazzo outlined AdvaMed's competitiveness agenda as a six-item plan, as follows:

  1. Innovation must be a government priority.
  2. FDA needs review reform.
  3. The payment policy must support innovation.
  4. Exports must grow.
  5. Strategic tax policies should support R&D-intensive industries.
  6. R&D must be sustained and improved.

Over the next few days, I hope to learn more about AdvaMed and industry's ideas on these principles. Another item discussed was the device tax. Ubl clarified that AdvaMed supports healthcare reform, but said that the device tax runs counter to the jobs policy. In addition, user fees were bandied about. Mazzo had the right idea, saying that throwing money at the problem won't work unless FDA can fix the systemic issues.

—Heather Thompson

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Which Comes First?

Submitted by steinp1 on September 28, 2011 - 3:17am.

I have a feeling that the AdvaMed gentlemen are hoping that the FDA and Congress will need to change their ways before innovation will begin again. A hint is who is to be responsible for point 1. Also note that industry's role in innovation doesn't appear on the list until the very end.

There is the old saying, "Put your money where your mouth is." Industry needs to put their monetary priorities back in order. More R&D and less lobbying...everything else will follow.