BIO Names Michael J. Werner as New Chief of Policy

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 22, 2003) — Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) President Carl B. Feldbaum announced today that Michael J. Werner, Esq., has been promoted to be the organization's new chief of policy. Werner was formerly BIO's vice president of bioethics, a position he had held since November 2001.

"In this newly created position, Michael will lead BIO's policy development and research functions and coordinate the organization's legislative, regulatory, bioethics, and legal activities to achieve the organization's priorities. As BIO's policy chief, Michael will also ensure policy coordination with BIO's Food and Agriculture and Industrial and Environmental Sections as well as work with our Emerging Companies Section on their top policy issues," Feldbaum said.

"Michael has done a superb job as BIO's vice president of bioethics, championing the biotech industry's positions on a range of complex, controversial bioethical issues, including cloning, stem cell research, gene therapy, human subject protection, the use of genetic information and spearheading BIO's global health initiative.

"Like the industry it represents, BIO has grown tremendously during the last decade. As a result, we speak on behalf of a diverse membership and a growing agenda that encompasses issues unique to the biopharmaceutical, food and agriculture and industrial environmental sectors of our industry. As the new Chief of Policy, Michael Werner will provide the long-range policy capability necessary to effectively help guide BIO's varied constituencies," Feldbaum added.

Werner has more than 17 years of experience in health law and policy. Before coming to BIO, Werner spent six years as Counsel for Legislation and Policy for the American College of Physicians (ACP). During his tenure there, he performed legal analyses as well as congressional and regulatory advocacy on a variety of issues, including end-of-life care, Medicare reform, liability reform, integration and delivery system re-structuring.

Prior to working at ACP, Werner was a senior health advisor to former U.S. Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell. Additionally, Mr. Werner served for several years as a senior advisor to former Maryland Governor William Donald Schaefer.

BIO represents more than 1,000 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations in all 50 U.S. states and 33 countries. BIO members are involved in the research and development of health-care, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products.