New BIO Report Highlights Value of Biotechnology to Individuals and Society
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 4, 2010) -- A new report issued by the Biotechnology Industry Organization underscores how biotechnology is benefiting society now more than ever, and is poised to help address some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
Healing, Fueling, Feeding: How Biotechnology Is Enriching Your Life, and its companion web site (valueofbiotech.org) are comprehensive resources that demonstrate in user-friendly language how advances in biotechnology improve our day-to-day lives, and how it will continue to do so.
“Most people don’t realize how often their lives are enhanced by biotechnology—from dramatic advances such as curing diseases, developing renewable fuels and increasing crop yields to address global hunger to less-noticed benefits like cleaner, more durable clothing,” said Jim Greenwood, President and CEO of BIO. “The diversity of biotech applications and products is nearly endless, and this new resource showcases how biotech products and innovations make our lives better every day.”
Healing, Fueling, Feeding contains information on how biotechnology helps us live longer, healthier lives, have a more abundant and sustainable food supply, use safer and more efficient industrial manufacturing, and reduce our greenhouse gas footprint.
“Biotechnology is the lynchpin for treatments that save 2.5 million children’s lives every year with immunizations, and millions more from premature heart disease, AIDs and cancer,” said Greenwood. “A recent analysis predicts that by the year 2030 the benefits of biotech treatments will be even greater: 6.7 million fewer people will be suffering from asthma, 6.3 million fewer people will be suffering from diabetes, and a quarter million fewer people will have colorectal cancer.”
“Biotechnology helps us answer the world’s most pressing challenges: resource scarcity, climate change, clean water shortages, an aging population, and cancer, to name just a few,” said BIO Chairman Dr. Steve Sherwin. “As well, the biotech industry continues to be a powerful economic growth engine, providing high-quality jobs for researchers and scientists, and generating employment for millions of workers in other industries."
The report underscores the fact that we have only tapped a small fragment of the many potential uses—and benefits—of biotechnology. Every day, research scientists explore new ways to improve our quality of life using biotechnology applications, whether it is to treat and prevent chronic disease, meet the food and energy needs of our growing population, or address the looming impact of climate change.
For more information or to view a copy of Healing, Fueling, Feeding: How Biotechnology Is Enriching Your Life please visit www.valueofbiotech.com.
About the BIO International Convention
The BIO International Convention helps to support the association’s programs and initiatives. BIO works throughout the year to create a policy environment that enables the industry to continue to fulfill its vision of bettering the world through biotechnology innovation. For more information on the global event for biotechnology please visit http://convention.bio.org/.
Upcoming BIO Events
World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing
June 27-30, 2010
Washington, DC
BIO India
September 21 - 22, 2010
Hyderabad, India
BIO’s Livestock Biotechnology Summit
September 28-30, 2010,
Sioux Falls, SD
About BIO
BIO represents more than 1,200 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also produces the BIO International Convention, the world’s largest gathering of the biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor and partnering meetings held around the world.
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