We’re shaking things up on this week’s LinkPad with a Throwback Thursday! Today, we’re looking at the policies that enable innovation and bring those innovations to the patients who need them most.

• 1983: The Orphan Drug Act passed, encouraging the development of new medicines and treatments for rare diseases. Since then, the number of approved medicines for rare diseases has risen dramatically.
• 1984: The Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984, colloquially known as the Hatch-Waxman Act, preserved financial incentives for the research and development of innovative medicines, while making room for the modern U.S. generics market to emerge. Since Hatch-Waxman there has been a 25-30% reduction in the prices of medicine and over $193 billion in cost savings...

Tomorrow, the Government of Peru will host stakeholders from around the world during the 17^thround of negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The TPP provides an opportunity to strengthen U.S. trade relationships in one of the most robust, dynamic regions in the world. The White House has cited the TPP’s potential to create a truly 21^st century trade agreement. But what does that really mean? When we talk about a 21^st century trade agreement and gold-standard intellectual property protections, it may sound like science fiction, but it has very real implications for the United States and partner countries...

This week, the Global Intellectual Property Center named its 2013 IP Champions. In addition to naming three awardees who excelled in their advocacy for IP protection, the event focused on several law enforcement cases that made critical strides in combating counterfeits. Today’s LinkPad highlights three cases are particularly relevant to the healthcare field...

During a panel on digital advocacy at this year’s BIO International Convention, I made a statement that raised some eyebrows, “Innovations don’t matter if patients don’t have access to them.” Ensuring that patients have access to the innovative medicines that improve health and wellness should remain a top priority among health stakeholders. In particular, removing access barriers helps patients better adhere to their medical treatment. Medication adherence provides critical support for a healthy, active lifestyle, but far too often, patients do not take their medications as recommended. This week’s LinkPad looks at recent efforts to help support policies that improve access to medications and treatment adherence...

Around the world, illegitimate drugs, whether fake, falsified, or substandard, pose a significant threat to patients. While many think of illegitimate drugs as a problem unique to developing countries, over the last few years, the United States has seen numerous incidences of these illegitimate medications making their way into the legitimate supply chain and into the hands of patients. Over the last few weeks, both the House and Senate have demonstrated strong commitments to strengthening our supply chain and protecting patients through the development of national track-and-trace standards.

In the Senate, Chairman Harkin, Ranking Member Alexander, and Senators Bennet and Burr submitted draft legislation to the Committee on Health, Education, and Pensions. In reference to the need for national track-and-trace standards, Senator Bennet remarked, “Over the past few years, we’ve had a record number of recalls and reports of tainted or ineffective drugs reaching our hospitals and drug store shelves. In fact, right now, we know more from a barcode on a gallon of milk than from a barcode on a bottle of pills, which could mean the difference between life and death.” This bipartisan move represents a promising step toward the kinds of standards necessary to ensure patients receive safe and effective medicines. However, the Senate isn’t the only side of Congress recognizing this critical need...

I cannot imagine a better way to end the week of the BIO International Convention than with World IP Day! As Chair and Founder of the International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations, Durhane Wong-Rieger said in a panel on intellectual property and trade earlier this week, despite the important role IP plays in bringing patients new medicines, many people outside of industry and lawyers don’t understand or engage on the impact of IP on innovation. This week’s LinkPad highlights recent conversations surrounding intellectual property, and the standards that will help to advance innovation and bring new medicines to patients...

In my recap blog from Day 2 of the BIO International Convention, I highlighted the use of big data in health care. A couple of the panelists and speaker noted that while big data provides immense opportunities, realizing its potential requires mechanisms for interpreting and acting on this new information.  As the third day of the Convention comes to a close, I find myself in the same situation as many of these researchers, confronted with extraordinary amount of new knowledge and looking for a way to make this information actionable...

This morning, I had the pleasure of sitting on a panel with representatives from the Global Healthy Living Foundation, Men’s Health Network, and Edelman Public Relations to talk about two topics near and dear to my heart—advocacy and technology.

As I said on this morning’s panel, innovation doesn’t matter if patients don’t have access to it. While LillyPad provides an opportunity to discuss the Lilly perspective, in my role at the Campaign for Modern Medicines, I get a chance to work with individuals and advocates to engage with policymakers on issues that ultimately affect them and their loved ones.

Digital technology has transformed advocacy, bringing greater opportunities to individuals and organizations everywhere to make their message heard. As Nate Bailey of Edelman PR said, “Digital is not the end-all solution, but it’s a piece of the puzzle.” It’s not the technology itself that makes the difference—it’s the action it enables...

“The right medicine for the right patient in the right dose at the right time.” No two patients are just alike, and with the advances in science and technology, soon medicine will no longer have to treat them alike. At the first day of the 2013 BIO International Convention, panelists representing a variety of stakeholders from around the world discussed personalized medicines and what it will take to make the promise of a healthier world a reality.

A personalized approach to medicine holds enormous potential benefits for patients and the health care system. However, as President of the Personalized Medicines Coalition, Stafford O’Kelly pointed out, regulatory systems, reimbursement processes, and privacy concerns pose significant barriers to the development of personalized medicines. In order to meet these challenges, O’Kelly stressed the importance of education and advocacy to create an environment that supports investment and innovation in this critical area...

Greetings from the BIO International Convention. You can feel the energy in the air as representatives from over 3,000 different companies from 28 U.S. states and 65 countries around the world gather in the “windy city” of Chicago to discuss the future of innovation.

The Convention showcases the variety of ways biotechnology continues to offer answers and hope for the world’s most pressing issues, but I’ve also been struck by Chicago itself. Being here at the 2013 BIO International Convention is a reminder of the number of high-quality, high-wage jobs that the innovation economy brings together. Illinois houses resources to support every stage and area of innovative development, from medical, agricultural, industrial biotechnology, nanotechnology, and information technology. The blend of quality of life and business infrastructure in the state provides a unique setting for technology development and commercialization for the 21^st century...

This week’s LinkPad honors National Minority Health Month by highlighting some of the great work being done in policy, advocacy, and awareness for health disparities.

• In a blog for the National Partnership for Action to End Health Disparities, Dr. J. Nadine Garcia, MD, MSCE emphasizes the importance of the Affordable Care Act in transforming health care and taking a step towards achieving health equity.
• A statement by Health and Human Services Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius reflects on the need to improve minority health, advance health equity, and eliminate health disparities.
• This month marks the second anniversary of the launch of the HHS Action Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities...

Look out Chicago! Next week, LillyPad will be reporting from the 2013 BIO International Convention, the world’s largest gathering of biotechnology leaders. Every year, the BIO International Convention brings together industry leaders to address key issues and make vital connections needed to drive future innovations that can improve patient health and quality of life in all regions of the world.

This year represents the 20^thanniversary of the BIO International Convention and I’ll be there ready to live up to this year’s theme: “Connect. Partner. Innovate.” With exhibits spanning the size of four football fields, and a program with over 125 sessions in 17 topic areas, it promises to be an exciting week. Over 800 speakers will share their expertise and insights on the breakthroughs in medicine, diagnostics, the environment, energy production, food and agriculture and more. This list of impressive individuals includes several of Lilly’s own employees, speaking on topics from trade to online advocacy (that’d be me!). In addition, Lilly will be hosting and sponsoring events throughout the week...

Medicare Part D has provided a continuous target for policymakers looking to cut health care spending. The irony of policy proposals like the Medicare Drug Savings Act is that they focus on one of the few programs that continue to provide quality, cost-effective care to beneficiaries. Earlier this week, Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Medicare Advocacy, Judith Stein contributed an opinion to Politico in favor of the Medicare Drug Savings Act of 2013. The article argued that this act “would ensure taxpayers get a better deal by requiring drug manufacturers to once again provide rebates for prescription drugs.” While applying rebates may save the government money in the short-term, this proposal threatens to create a policy imbalance that shifts costs to beneficiaries and diminishes the care patients have come to expect...

Over the course of this week, I’ve talked and tweeted a lot about the PhRMA Annual Conference and what it takes to strengthen and improve research capabilities, advance medical progress, and provide patients hope and a voice. I’ll be returning to Washington, D.C. with a breadth of new information, anticipation about what the future holds for health care and innovation…and just the mildest of sunburns. This week’s LinkPad reflects on some of the key takeaways from the conference, with the spirit of innovation in mind, through Tweets...

The weather may be perking up in DC, but I’m headed out to sunny San Diego this week to the 2013 PhRMA Annual Meeting. Along with our industry colleagues and other stakeholders, we will discuss the future of health care innovation and hear experts and industry colleagues explain how near-term advances will change care and delivery. This year’s meeting centers around the themes of biopharmaceutical research, progress, hope, and the impact on patients worldwide. If health care was a puzzle—and sometimes it feels like it is—each of these themes represents a crucial piece. I can’t wait to kick off the discussions...

Counterfeit drugs pose a significant risk to patient health in countries around the world. Earlier this month, Lilly and other industry members launched a global partnership with Interpol to combat this growing health threat. This week’s LinkPad listens in on the global conversation around counterfeit medicines...

March may be over, but the madness continues. As the NCAA basketball tournament continues to grip the attention of sports-lovers everywhere, I couldn’t help but think about the parallels between the tournament and competition in the international marketplace. Whether on the basketball court or in the international market, competitiveness requires a level playing field, and recognition of the critical role of home court advantage. The United States’ greatest strength has been its innovative potential, but globalization has changed the game, and U.S. policy needs to catch up. Without coordinated action from policymakers and industry, the United States risks its competitive edge in the global marketplace...

It might sound like a throwback to the 1960’s, but when it comes to health “we are all connected.” The development of new technology and increasing globalization has transformed the world we live in, including our health. The strong connection between individuals, their health, and global health systems requires significant attention from all stakeholders in the health care industry. For today’s LinkPad, I decided to take a step back and highlight recent discussions about health care from a global perspective...

In an opinion piece that came out earlier this week, political consultant, Douglas E. Schoen writes “Republicans and Democrats would be wise to recognize the political value of sticking with what works in Medicare.” However, a successful component of Medicare creates value beyond politics; it also provides value for patients. With a 90% satisfaction rate and a track record of coming in under budget, Medicare Part D is “what works in Medicare.” The Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit provides increased access to vital medications while achieving cost savings for patients and for the health care system as a whole. Nonetheless, Medicare Part D faces two proposals that threaten to disrupt the balance that has allowed it to bring seniors high-quality care while driving cost savings...

This week marks the third anniversary of the signing of the Affordable Care Act. To commemorate the occasion, today’s LinkPad looks at the latest facts and figures on how far we’ve come and what’s coming up next for health care reform implementation...

Last week, LillyPad hosted advocates from the endocrinologist and dietician communities about the importance of diabetes awareness, education, and care. With nearly 40% of the U.S. population suffering from a chronic disease or disability, the health care industry has recognized the importance of collaboration to address unmet health needs. However, industry cannot succeed alone. As most advocates will tell you, the policy and regulatory arenas plays a vital role in supporting the innovation required to address the complex needs of individual patients and the health care system as a whole.

During this transformative time for the health care system, policymakers must consider ways to invigorate the innovation incentive structure, paving the road to new treatments for enduring health challenges. In 2011, Rep. Leonard Lance introduced the MODDERN Cures Act of 2011, a bipartisan bill to promote the development of innovative treatments and test for rare and chronic diseases. This bill reflected an understanding of the fundamental shifts in market incentives required to advance the development of new and personalized medicines...

A fundamental key to medical innovation is a willingness to make strategic investments and take calculated risks. It recently occurred to me that the same principle applies to policymaking. As the Hill continues to bustle with conversations about the sustainability of health care costs, it’s time for Congress to start looking at health care as an innovator would—identifying and leveraging models for success. Last week, articles for Bloomberg View and The Hill pointed to Medicare Part D as a model for creating a cost-sustainable health system without sacrificing patients’ access to quality care. However, despite Part D’s successes in patient satisfaction and cost-effectiveness, price control proposals continue to threaten the very structure that makes it an outlier in health policy...

My colleague, Femke Beumer, originally blogged on this topic for LillyPad E.U. 

"We, the Leaders of the United States and the European Union, are pleased to announce that, based on recommendations from the U.S.-EU High Level Working Group on Jobs and Growth co-chaired by United States Trade Representative Kirk and European Trade Commissioner De Gucht, the United States and the European Union will each initiate the internal procedures necessary to launch negotiations on a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.

"The transatlantic economic relationship is already the world's largest, accounting for half of global economic output and nearly one trillion dollars in goods and services trade, and supporting millions of jobs on both sides of the Atlantic." Statement from United States President Barack Obama, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso on Wednesday 13 February 2013...

This week LillyPad proudly played host to guest blogs featuring the voices of players throughout the health care industry. The digital space holds extraordinary promise for opening the channels of communication between all stakeholders—patients, providers, advocates, industry, and lawmakers. In the spirit of this dialogue, LillyPad, along with many in the health care field, happily welcomed Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius to the Twitterverse (@Sebelius). A robust, collaborative discussion between thought leaders holds the greatest potential to bringing innovative solutions to the health care system. This week’s LinkPad looks at some of the ongoing policy conversations vital to bringing quality care and health outcomes for patients...

As the latest round of negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement continues, today’s LinkPad looks at commentary from the first week of discussion...

This week, Singapore welcomed the next round of negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. In November 2011, the United States began discussions on the TPP hoping to strengthen our trading relationship with countries of the Asia-Pacific region. This ambitious, 21st century trade agreement holds the potential to enhance trade and investment among all partners, spark economic growth and development, and support future innovation. Realizing these benefits requires pursuing the right kinds of standards, particularly in the area of intellectual property...

At its core, health care is about patients. At Lilly, we strive to ensure that patients have access to safe and effective treatments for their medical needs. Part of the process of developing and providing these medicines requires input from the patients themselves. Today’s LinkPad looks at talk around patient empowerment, and how public policy can protect the patient voice in health care decision-making...

A robust trade agenda can help the United States retain economic leadership in the global market, but it can also help to promote access to medicines worldwide.  During the State of the Union, President Obama highlighted his plan to strengthen the U.S. economy through two critical regional trade agreements: the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Trans-Atlantic Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA).

As the United States continues to pursue these two trade agreements, it is of vital importance that negotiators keep pushing for policies that support intellectual property protection. A holistic approach to medicinal innovation and access to medicines recognizes that strong IP protections create innovation incentives and encourage the development of new and better treatments for patients worldwide...

Last week, Lilly’s Communication Manager for Global Health Programs, Karen Van der Westhuizen, wrote a terrific guest blog highlighting the need for public-private partnerships to tackle non-communicable diseases worldwide. Today, I wanted to take a look at another growing global health issue—counterfeit medications. What better way to explore the topic than with a quiz?

True or False: Counterfeit medications primarily affect the health of those in developing countries...

As the U.S. healthcare system becomes increasingly expensive, legislators are looking for programs to slice and dice in order to cut costs. Despite the proven success of Medicare Part D, some lawmakers have discussed making cuts to the program. This week’s LinkPad takes a look at the chatter around Medicare and healthcare costs...

Medicare Part D provides an informative example of successful health policy. Millions of Medicare beneficiaries rely on Medicare Rx coverage to provide a critical lifeline to their medications for chronic and life-threatening conditions. Despite its overwhelming success, however, persistent myths about Part D threaten to introduce changes that would undermine its ability to provide quality, cost-effective care to Medicare beneficiaries.

The most recent myth suggests that changing the law to allow the government to negotiate Part D prices will save money; however, this simply is not the case...

Last week, 31 senators including John Cornyn (R-TX) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) introduced a Senate bill to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) provision of the Affordable Care Act. This bill follows the reintroduction of H.R. 351, the Protecting Seniors’ Access to Medicare Act by Representatives Phil Roe (R-TN) and Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) which also seeks to repeal the controversial board. The IPAB was introduced as a panel of appointees to make Medicare cost-containment recommendations to Congress. However, as policymakers from both sides of the aisle have noted, Medicare beneficiaries, the economy, and American democracy may suffer if the IPAB goes into effect. Why is IPAB the wrong solution for Medicare?...

On Tuesday, President Obama addressed the nation in his latest State of the Union address, promising progress through hard work and reform. Throughout his speech, the Presiden touched on important priorities, like innovation, research and development, competitiveness and health care costs. This week’s LinkPad looks at how the speech has been reflected in the news. This week’s links follow some key quotes from the speech that piqued my attention...

Substandard and counterfeit medicines pose a significant threat to patients worldwide. The continuous and growing danger from criminal organizations producing these falsified and substandard drugs requires a coordinated response from policymakers. A report issued yesterday by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) underscored this point and demonstrated the urgent need for national and international action to improve the integrity of the pharmaceutical distribution supply chain.

Currently, the U.S. pharmaceutical distribution supply chain is subject to a patchwork of state laws, creating vulnerabilities easily exploited by counterfeiting networks...

During last night's State of the Union address, President Barack Obama outlined his second term priorities that included a range of policies-- taxes, entitlements, immigration, energy, and the troops in Afghanistan-- just to name a few.  If you followed my live #SOTU tweeting last night, you know that I was listening for the President's plans surrounding health care and innovation policy. 

The primary focus of the President's speech was job creation and promotion of economic growth in America.  While we might have some different opinions on policies, priorities set out last night echo many of the issues that we have been regularly highlighting on LillyPad...

With government programs and spending under scrutiny, especially in the health care space, accountability has been a word on the tips of many tongues. While 340B might not mean anything to you, I’ve noticed that recently the federal program has roused up lawmakers, industry and advocates in a call for its improved oversight.

Just this week, a diverse group of stakeholders issued a White Paper on the program. The paper explains that in 1992, Congress created the 340B drug discount program to help certain health care centers that treat a large number of uninsured patients lower their prescription drug costs. Since then, pharmaceutical manufacturers have provided discounts to 340B providers in order to help these uninsured, indigent patients get better access to prescription medications... 

Whether covering price controls, cost savings or overall patient satisfaction, Medicare Part D is a hot topic in the news. Research confirms widespread satisfaction with and lower than expected costs of the Part D program, but some policymakers continue to call for changes that would undermine its future success. This week’s LinkPad takes a look at the chatter around Part D...

Last week, I introduced Lilly’s Patient Access to Cancer Care Excellence (PACE) program. PACE brings together global advocacy networks to advocate for public policies that improve accessibility, speed, and value of progress against cancer. Along with the launch of the website, PACE released the Cancer Perception Index which explored cancer knowledge and attitudes across the U.S., France, Germany, Italy, the U.K., and Japan. The infographic below highlights some of the findings from the report.

Most policymakers would agree on the importance of creating a sustainable U.S. health care system, but coming to a consensus on what that means and how to achieve it has proven a more difficult feat. On the Hill, debates often focus on the need to cut health care costs, but as a recent blog by Senior Adjunct Fellow at Council on Foreign Relations and Executive Director of Global Coalition on Aging, Michael W. Houdin, Ph.D. points out, sometimes cutting costs doesn’t really mean cutting costs. Reducing financing for research or care programs can actually increase long-term costs of treatment and care. Health care sustainability instead requires strategic investments that ensure quality care and pave the way for future breakthroughs...

The Independent Payment Advisory Board is one provision within the Affordable Care Act that has stirred up some heat, gaining media attention and inciting public debate since the bill’s passage. However, the controversial board of 15 appointed officials responsible for identifying cost savings in the Medicare program, has received little formal attention on Capitol Hill-- until now. This week’s LinkPad takes a look at the latest action on IPAB...

Forty years ago, President Nixon declared a War on Cancer. In the decades since, the health care industry and advocates have fought hard to improve knowledge and support innovations for cancer care. We’ve come a long way, but we still have work to do. Today, Lilly is proud to announce the launch of the Patient Access to Cancer care Excellence (PACE) website. PACE represents a global, collaborative effort between Lilly Oncology, patients, advocates, and thought leaders to encourage public policies and health care decisions that support the continuation of medical innovation and ensure patient access to the most effective cancer treatments...

Increasing globalization continues to underscore the tie between U.S. international activities and economic viability. Trade represents a vital function of the U.S. economy. Without strong trade agreements that set strong standards in areas like intellectual property, the U.S. risks losing its foothold in the competitive marketplace. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement currently marks an important milestone for trade and is poised to set a precedent for years to come. As John Kerry takes the helm at the U.S. Department of State yesterday, I wanted to applaud Secretary Kerry for his work as a champion of American innovation and look at how he might continue to protect the U.S. competitive edge...

Yesterday, we discussed the strengths of Part D. Since Medicare has been a hot topic in both the national press and the political buzz in Washington this week, I’m sharing a few highlights I found on the web...

The Hill was alive with the sound of music this week as both parties came together, well, to party in honor of the Presidential inauguration. During President Obama’s first speech of his second term, a key phrase stuck with me, “Medicare and Medicaid strengthen us.” Millions of Americans rely on Medicare and Medicaid to provide them with vital health services. Yet, as lawmakers face difficult economic decisions, the cost and structure of these programs often make for a point of complex debate. One proposal would apply a rebate system to Medicare Part D, threatening the success of the Rx coverage program. In a recent blog for Health Affairs, Douglas Holtz-Eakin demonstrates how this proposal would ultimately hurt Medicare beneficiaries...

For the second time, millions of Americans will watch as President Barack Obama takes the official oath of office this coming Monday. Although Obama’s first term was defined by his landmark legislation, the Affordable Care Act, the implementation process has only begun. This week’s LinkPad takes a look at where we stand with healthcare implementation as Obama moves into his second term...

With the current, (seemingly) unending debt debate going on in Washington, I can't help but hear the alliteration through all of the chatter: costs, cut, control, cliff, care, Congress, coverage; debt, debate, deal, deficit, down, difference, data, delay. Did I miss anything? Given how I sometimes think poetically, I guess it's no surprise that I'm trying to find some beauty in this ugly fight.

There has been at least one piece of positive news recently regarding Medicare costs. In November the Congressional Budget Office finally recognized the cost-savings effects that prescription drugs can have on other parts of Medicare spending...

Intellectual property means more than just your new cell phone or trendy gadget; IP serves as a central force in protecting and bolstering U.S. economic competitiveness and growth. Despite the importance of intellectual property, sometimes its tangible benefits may be more difficult to immediately discern. So, what is Intellectual Property? How does IP create jobs? What role can IP play in protecting your family? How does intellectual property advance human progress? Last week, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Intellectual Property Center (GIPC) launched a new website that answers these, and many more, questions about IP...

It’s the start of a new year-- time to (hopefully) wipe the slates clean and look forward to what’s ahead. No, your new year’s resolution isn’t the only thing to keep up with this year. This week’s LinkPad takes a look at some of 2013’s most noteworthy early headlines in health care and important topics you should expect to see more on in the coming year...

For my last post of 2012, I present a seasonal poem from Washington:

'Twas the night before Winter Recess, but all through the House

Not a creature was resting, not even a mouse.

The fiscal cliff discussion rang through the air,

In hopes that a resolution soon would be there.

Medicaid remains nestled all snug in its bed,

While protecting Part D espoused from Turner’s head.

Exchanges stand ready, so I in my cap,

Settle my brain for a long winter's nap.

Investments in research and development enable the innovation that build and strengthen the U.S. economy and our national competitiveness. Bolstering R&D investment and protecting those investments from foreign competitors seeking an unfair advantage must serve as a priority among policymakers. Last week, the House Science Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight held a hearing on “The Impact of International Technology Transfer on American Research and Development.” Presenting testimony at the hearing, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) President and Founder, Robert Atkinson gave compelling testimony on the threat innovation mercantilist nations pose to U.S. competitiveness, and outlined a strategy for policymakers to meet this challenge to the integrity of the global marketplace...

Lately, we have been discussing the importance of Asia in the global market and Lilly’s CEO John Lechleiter’s recent trip to China. The Chinese economy ranks the second largest in the world, behind the United States. The centrality of the Chinese economy has made the country a point of concern for practices in areas like intellectual property. For this reason, Lilly applauds the recent launch of the Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM) China. In an effort to combat the threat of counterfeit drugs, PSM China seeks to educate consumers about this dangerous and growing problem...

This week, the Food and Drug Administration released their 2012 Innovative Drug Approvals report. According to the report, the FDA met last year’s record with the approval of 35 novel medicines. Today’s LinkPad looks at opinions and commentary from industry experts on these new figures...

Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that since January 2011, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) implementation has resulted in $5.1 billion in savings on prescription drugs. Taken in conjunction with findings I discussed earlier this year, this latest announcement demonstrates a positive savings trend for the Medicare prescription drug benefit.

By providing additional support for Medicare beneficiaries with the prescription drug coverage gap—often referred to as the “donut hole”—the ACA has helped nearly six million Americans save money on their medications...

Many patients often seek out their medications online. However, with an estimated 96% of online pharmacies operating outside of U.S. law, the safety and efficacy of those medications cannot always be guaranteed. Over the next two days, the Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacy (ASOP) EU is hosting the Transatlantic Strategic Summit on Internet Pharmacy. Along with their US affiliate and the Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies (CSIP), ASOP welcomes key stakeholders to Brussels for a summit on practical means to improve patient safety online...

Last week, as President Obama met with foreign leaders throughout Asia, the Trans-Pacific Partnership became a recurring topic of conversation. As one of the most dynamic and rapidly expanding areas in the world, the Asia-Pacific region holds special significance in the global marketplace. President Obama’s trip sparked significant media discussion on the future of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a trade agreement that can help the U.S. to strengthen ties in this critical region. Today’s LinkPad highlights recent articles from the U.S. and abroad on the progress and future of the TPP agreement...

The creation of a sustainable health care system remains a critical point of discussion for policymakers and the health care industry. Approximately 75% of U.S. health care costs can be attributed to chronic disease. Chronic illness leads to an even greater percentage of costs for Medicare recipients; more than $9 out of every $10 are spent on the treatment of chronic disease. Addressing major drivers of health costs, like chronic illness, marks the first step toward creating a sustainable, cost-effective health care system. Recently, two studies explored the role of medication adherence in lowering health care costs...

Cyber Monday marks one of the best shopping days of the year. Millions of people around the world—including myself—take advantage of the discounted prices, and, as I like to think, do our part to boost the economy. However, while shoppers click through deals, one thing many do not consider is the potential for unwittingly purchasing counterfeit goods. Yesterday, the Justice Department, Homeland Security, and European intellectual property agencies seized 132 websites selling fake merchandise, including counterfeit medications.

While legitimate online pharmacies can act as a viable and convenient alternative medication source for patients, over 96% of Internet drug outlets currently operate out of compliance with U.S. law...

The success of Medicare Part D has been a recurring topic on LillyPad. From a 90% satisfaction rate among beneficiaries to coming in 46% under budget, the Medicare prescription drug benefit proves that health policy can provide quality care and maintain fiscal responsibility. Earlier this week, a teleconference sponsored by Medicare Today focused on the state of the Medicare Rx benefit and key considerations for the future of health care and Part D. As part of the discussion, experts discussed the attributes that contribute to Part D’s successes and the importance of preserving these elements to continue to promote optimal health outcomes for seniors...

Over the course of the week, LillyPad had the pleasure of sharing the stage with diabetes advocates about the importance of promoting policies that support better health outcomes for those affected by the disease. Today’s LinkPad continues the theme by highlighting some of the other health care awareness and advocacy events taking place during the month of November...

What an exciting week in D.C. and for the United States! Election season always generates a lot of discussion about public policy and the vision for our country’s future. Now that the votes are in, this week’s LinkPad looks to answer the question, “What’s Next?” for health care and trade policies...

Innovation is the lifeblood of the U.S. economy. Maintaining a competitive economy in the increasingly globalized marketplace requires that we pursue policies that allow innovation to flourish. Earlier this week, the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) released a “backgrounder” on U.S. policies surrounding R&D funding and their role in fueling innovative industry and fostering economic growth.

The CFR piece highlights the two primary ways the U.S. government supports R&D—federal funding and tax incentives. However, as the backgrounder highlights, “Increasing concerns about record high U.S. deficits and a rising national debt may make it difficult for Washington to allocate more funds to R&D.” As a result, creating a tax system that encourages R&D investment in the private sector has become increasingly important for U.S. innovation...

Every year in the United States, up to 40 million prescriptions are filled with counterfeit medicines, according to a whitepaper recently released by the Center for Responsible Enterprise and Trade (CREATe). As the potential for high profit margins continues to attract criminals to the counterfeit trade, the inactive, useless and sometimes even toxic counterfeits pose a growing threat to patient health. The new report, entitled “Health and Safety Risks from Counterfeits in the Supply Chain,” highlights this growing threat and provides recommendations to strengthen the supply chain from infiltrations that could harm patients and consumers...

This week, Hurricane Sandy blasted through the east coast of the United States, disrupting the lives of millions and exacting a devastating toll throughout its path. In the aftermath of this tragedy, today’s LinkPad looks at efforts from within the biopharmaceutical industry to provide relief to affected populations...

Earlier this week, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee issued a discussion draft aimed at strengthening the U.S. medical supply chain. Counterfeit medicines pose a great threat to patients and public health. This draft has been endorsed with bipartisan, bicameral support. It represents an important step in developing a consensus policy on improving the security of drug distribution system to address the growing threat of fake medicines. We applaud Chairmen Harkin and Upton and Ranking Members Enzi and Waxman for their efforts to develop a national system that can improve security and protect patients! Today’s LinkPad highlights some of the discussion sparked by the release of the draft legislation...

This month’s theme issue of Health Affairs highlighted current challenges in comparative effectiveness research (CER). Once a new medicine has gone through the regulatory process, CER analysis examines the relative value of the new treatment compared to existing treatments already available to patients. When carried out under the right set of guiding principles, CER offers great potential to improve the delivery of health care and outcomes. However, as a number of articles in the issue point out, realizing that potential requires addressing the challenges to CER...

Evolve. Engage. Empower.

These are common goals that brought 150+ advocacy leaders to the Newseum for the second annual e-Advocacy Summit in Washington D.C. The day brought insights and thoughtful discussion from a number of distinguished speakers and panelists, who shared their expertise on all things digital engagement.

With our partner sponsor, Global Healthy Living Foundation, Lilly engaged e-Advocacy participants on the power of going digital with public policy advocacy.

The day got off to an energetic start with a keynote address from Erik Qualman, author of the bestselling book, “Socialnomics” and digital media expert. Erik could not have led a more engaging, honest and dynamic talk. He told us to use our flaws as an opportunity to show how awesome we are, and let our “Flawsome” out. Most importantly, Erik reinforced that advocates, like anyone else, should not be deterred from engaging digitally, even if they advocate for complex issues. After Erik’s presentation, the audience appeared energized and prepared to take control of their own digital legacies...

On Friday, Eli Lilly and Company and the Global Healthy Living Foundation are proud to sponsor the second annual eAdvocacy Summit at the Newseum in Washington DC. During this free day-long event, distinguished speakers and panelists will engage participants about the influence of social media on public policy advocacy. Last year’s event was a huge success, and we are looking forward to building on the conversations we began...

All this enthusiasm around Lilly’s Global Day of Service has provided me with some inspiration. Today’s LinkPad takes a look inside Lilly and highlights some of the work being done by Lilly employees throughout the country for improving communities…and the policy environment...

How do you define health care success? Patient satisfaction? Increased access to care? Cost to the system? Balancing these components can serve as a challenge to lawmakers. However, Medicare Part D continuously meets each of these criteria for success.

According to a survey released last week, a whopping 90% of Medicare Part D beneficiaries feel satisfied with their prescription drug coverage. The poll, conducted by Medicare Today, interviewed 2,363 seniors nationwide about their prescription drug coverage. In addition to the staggering popularity of the program, the poll found that 8 in 10 seniors felt their plan was predictable, affordable, reasonable, and offered good value. These findings represent the highest ever satisfaction levels across all measures...

Get ready for a double dose of health care news! Over the last week, two health care-related announcements took the spotlight: reports surrounding patient satisfaction with Medicare Part D, and the FDA crackdown on illegitimate online pharmacies. Today’s LinkPad highlights some of the reactions to these new developments.

Millions of seniors rely on Medicare Rx coverage to provide a critical lifeline to their medications for chronic and life-threatening conditions. Over the last few weeks, a number of reports have come out discussing cost projections for Medicare prescription drug coverage. Today, I’d like to break down what these reports really mean, particularly for seniors.

When it comes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), HHS reports that more than 5.5 million Medicare beneficiaries saved a total of $4.5 billion on prescription medications since January 2011. The savings for seniors are projected to continue as implementation of health care reform continues, culminating in the closing of the prescription drug coverage gap—the so-called “donut hole”—in 2020...

Today’s LinkPad gets a little cosmopolitan and highlights news on international elements, like intellectual property and trade, that play into the biopharmaceutical industry’s ability to provide access to safe, effective medicines for patients...

September is always a busy month in Washington, D.C. Tomorrow, there is an event that is worth setting aside a little time—the Partnership for Safe Medicines’ annual conference, Interchange 2012. The conference brings together leaders in government, industry, and academia to discuss the next steps in informing the public about the dangers of counterfeit medicines. The threat posed by counterfeit drugs continues to grow. Without increased organized efforts, criminal organizations may continue to benefit at the expense of patient health and safety.

If you haven’t had a chance, I encourage you to check out the Partnership for Safe Medicines website, Facebook, follow them on Twitter @SafeMedicines, and attend the PSM annual conference to join in the discussion on this vital issue.

Program costs and budgets have been hot topics this election cycle, and we can only expect to hear more on money through November.  This week brought good and bad news for Medicare patients, as beneficiaries are saving on prescription drugs, but the program faces cuts in the pending budget sequestration...

Washington is all abuzz about innovation! Today’s LinkPad rounds-up the discussion around town that links innovation, the biopharmaceutical industry, jobs, the US economy, and global competitiveness.

In the 2012-2013 Global Competitiveness Report released this week, the World Economic Forum ranked United States as 7^th worldwide in competitiveness. This marks the fourth consecutive year of decline for the U.S. position after being 5^th in last year’s report. This week’s LinkPad looks at how the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement—for which negotiations are currently underway—presents an opportunity for the U.S. to strengthen its competitiveness, protect American jobs, and engage in a dynamic economic market.

This morning, NY Times blogger Paula Span posted about recent projections that average Medicare Part D premiums will remain steady in 2013. This marks the fourth year without premium increases for beneficiaries of the prescription drug benefit. These reports demonstrate just the most recent of a long line of accomplishments for this critical program. Medicare Part D has been overwhelmingly successful in satisfying patient needs and doing it at a lesser cost than initially forecast.

Earlier this week, I discussed a report released by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation demonstrating the need for providing strong intellectual property protections in the Trans-Pacific Partnership. With the next round of negotiations taking place in Virginia next month, today’s LinkPad looks at the latest buzz on this vital trade agreement.

For the biopharmaceutical industry, innovation requires looking for new, creative approaches to address health care challenges. Last week, PhRMA launched From Hopes to Cures, a new initiative aimed at driving conversation about the organizations and individuals at the forefront of the development for new, vital medicines. This promising platform provides members of the biopharmaceutical development process a new tool to help bring about medical discoveries and advances to provide better health outcomes and improve quality of life for millions of patients.

Yesterday, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) focused a spotlight on the Trans-Pacific Partnership. In a teleconference introducing the latest ITIF white paper, "Ensuring the Trans-Pacific Partnership Becomes a Gold-Standard Trade Agreement," experts discussed the importance of the TPP agreement for strengthening trade relationships in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as setting a precedent for future trade agreements.

With the next round of negotiations set to resume in September, stakeholders must take a critical look at how to provide effective provisions to bolster economic and trade integration for TPP members. Intellectual property protection standards remain one of the significant areas under discussion, and setting the gold standard will help level the playing field, protect U.S. jobs, and keep the U.S. competitive in the global marketplace.

Last week, the Wilson Center hosted a set of panels addressing the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the future of international trade. The Trans-Pacific Partnership seeks to expand trade and liberalize economies in the Asia-Pacific region. Currently, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Peru, Chile, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei are engaging in the trade negotiations, with Canada and Mexico set to join in coming months, while Japan waits in the wings and China monitors developments closely. With the right negotiation outcomes, the TPP agreement has the potential to strengthen U.S. trade within the Asia-Pacific region and promote U.S. global competitiveness.

As the 2012 London Olympics came to a close Sunday night, I couldn't help but marvel at the grand scope of the games. From all over the world, athletes came together to compete to bring pride and glory for themselves, their families, and their countries. Becoming an Olympic athlete requires talent and determination, but also a willingness to abide by the rules of competition. In that way, it's not too different from any other international competition. Whether the Olympics or economics, fair global competition requires that all participants play by the same rules, and compete on a level playing field. 

Lilly leaders on diversity.

Earlier today, Lilly's Chairman, President, and CEO, John Lechleiter, Ph.D. provided the opening remarks to the 2012 African American Forum. The event's theme, "Change: Engage, Evolve, Expand and Succeed!" provided an apt opportunity to discuss how diversity helps Lilly achieve our mission to improve patient outcomes. 

This week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that average basic premiums for Medicare prescription drug plans are projected to remain constant--for the third year in a row. Today's LinkPad looks at the reactions to these projections from various parts of the health industry and media.

"[Bioscience] is not just an investment in an economic sense and healthcare, but it is an investment in human lives" stated Margaret Anderson, Executive Director of FasterCures at a Milken Institute and FasterCures sponsored Hill brief On Renewing America's Commitment to Bioscience. The briefing celebrated how far bioscience has progressed and set the stage for its future. In the face of budgetary cuts and decreased investments in research and development, National Institutes of Health Director, Francis Collins, summarized the current state of bioscience best:

"...I have never been more excited than I am right now about the scientific opportunities that lie in front of us to uncover the causes of illness and to develop methods to cure disease, but I can also tell you I have never been more anxious about the resources that are needed to support this enterprise and whether they will be available in the future."

For the last 60 years, international trade has been a cornerstone of the U.S. economy. Currently, the U.S. is involved in negotiations to strengthen our trading partnerships in the Asia-Pacific region through the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. Today's LinkPad offers resources to understanding how the Trans-Pacific Partnership can affect trade, the U.S. economy and global competitiveness, and future medical innovation.

A lady never reveals her age--or at least that's what they used to say. A new initiative from Pfizer and 10 partner organizations seeks to demystify the aging process, and incite dialogue on how Americans at all ages are tackling aging for themselves, their family and society. 

The new online community, GetOld.com, provides a platform for people to engage in conversations around the notion of getting older and living better. As medical and technological innovations continue to lengthen and improve the quality of life, more people, simply put, are getting old. As the video below demonstrates, that's a good thing!

This week, the Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies (CSIP) announced its partnership with multiple U.S. government agencies and several worldwide internet and e-commerce organizations to help educate consumers about the dangers of unsafe counterfeit or contaminated prescription drugs. In light of this launch, today's LinkPad features articles on the strategies this partnership will employ to take on the threat posed by illegitimate online pharmacies.

The American narrative is a story of innovation. Innovative industry has always played a crucial role in building America's economic strength, cementing global competitiveness, and creating new, vital technologies. However, the high-cost, high-risk nature of innovative research and development provides challenges for innovator companies. Tax incentives have proven to be an effective tool to promote R&D and spur innovation. However, in a report released last week, ITIF estimates that the United States ranks just 27th out of 42 countries studied in terms of R&D tax incentive generosity. Just five years ago, the U.S. ranked 23^rd.

Today,several high profile companies joined forces to launch the Center for Safe Online Pharmacies (CSIP) to combat the problem of illegal online pharmacies that peddle counterfeit and unsafe medicines. The event is an unprecedented level of commitment and private sector action, and Lilly could not be more thrilled to see it officially unveiled. CSIP's members include Google, Microsoft, Yahoo!, GoDaddy, Neustar, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Paypal, and eNom. These companies came together when they saw a growing number of criminal sites that pose a threat to public health. With White House support, the group decided to focus their resources on several initiatives designed to protect consumers and establish best practices for corporations. The initiatives include an extensive campaign to help educate consumers about the dangers of unsafe counterfeits sold on the Internet. They also included a pledge to partner with the federal government and law enforcement communities to combat the criminal networks behind the sites that prey on unsuspecting consumers.

A weekend of storms in Washington DC promises plenty of time to catch up on some reading. Here are some articles that caught my eye this week:

Yesterday, the National Journal hosted its annual conference of the Most Influential Women in Washington. The event was filled with exciting discussions from distinguished panelists who highlighted the strides women have made in reshaping the world over the last few decades through their work in policy, economics, and politics. However, panelists also cited areas where women are still underrepresented, including science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.

Since the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act, there's been a lot of talk about what comes next for states. This week's LinkPad looks a little closer at how governors are evaluating the best ways to implement health care reform for their constituencies.

The last few days at the annual conference for the National Council de La Raza have been an enlightening experience. On Friday, I shared some fascinating facts about the political strength of the Latino community. Today, I want to discuss Sunday's health town hall, which covered ways to eliminate health disparities within the Latino community. At the event entitled, !Salud! Eliminating Disparities that Block Good Health Among Latinos, panelists from multiple organizations, including the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association, and the American Cancer Society, highlighted current efforts to help transform the way Latinos view their health and the societal factors that impede their access to equitable care.

Over the next few days, more than 25,000 community leaders, activists, and volunteers will be descending upon Las Vegas, for the National Council of La Raza annual conference. Yesterday and today, I was excited to attend the inaugural NCLR Health Summit, a gathering of leaders from health care organizations all over the country who are involved in the Latino community. With that in mind, I wanted to share some interesting facts that I learned at yesterday's panels on the power of the Latino vote and advocating for political change:

With yesterday's Supreme Court decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act, health care has certainly dominated the headlines this week. With that in mind, today I'm highlighting another huge health care decision from this week--on Tuesday, the Senate passed the FDA Safety and Innovation Act, which reauthorizes the Prescription Drug User Fee Act. Here's what some are saying about the Senate vote:

Last night, the Senate voted to pass the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act (S. 3187), reauthorizing the Prescription Drug and User Fee Act (PDUFA) for a fifth time. As I have said before, PDUFA is an important piece of legislation, designed to improve the speed, safety, and efficacy of the drug review process at the FDA, ultimately bringing new medicines to patients faster.

I've spent a lot of time this week discussing the 2012 BIO International Convention. Today's LinkPad takes a look back at some of the big reveals this week:

Yesterday afternoon, Dr. Jan Lundberg, Lilly's executive vice-president of science and sechnology, participated on a Lilly-sponsored panel at the 2012 BIO international Convention. The panelists discussed the growing trend of pre-competitive collaboration, a new research model which is intended to encourage collaboration and productivity, ultimately leading to an increased number of new, innovative medicines and therapies for patients. The research model exists in multiple forms, including public-private partnerships.

This morning, I had the opportunity to live-tweet from a BIO Super Session entitled, "Beyond Borders: Ernst & Young's Annual Biotechnology Industry Report." At the event, representatives from Ernst & Young discussed the findings from their http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/Beyond_borders_2012./%24FILE/Beyond%20borders_2012.pdf (link has expired) new report that considers how to improve the model of health outcomes through innovation fueled by research and development spending. The study demonstrates the growing investments made in biotechnology by highlighting that last year 62% of biotechnology companies increased their R&D spending, and R&D expenses increased by 9% across the sector.

This afternoon, a panel at the BIO Convention is entitled, "Translational Research Forum: From Bench to Bedside in a Bioeconomy- Government, Industry, and University Models to Catalyze Economic Growth and Patient Access," It will discuss  how research partnerships with other research entities can help speed the pace at which discoveries become better health outcomes.

This post was cross-posted by my colleague France Dube on LillyPad Canada.

This morning we kicked off our coverage of the 2012 Biotechnology International Conference at at a session entitled Global Technology Forum: The BRICS and Beyond. With representatives from  Argentina, Turkey, and South Africa, panelists emphasized the impact of biotechnology all around the global economy.

Life is all about balance. This week's LinkPad highlights articles that demonstrate the importance of striking a balance between providing access to medicines, while ensuring innovator's ability to continue to invest in R&D for future medicines.

Yesterday, the Bipartisan Policy Center hosted current and former members of Congress, as well as leading budget experts, for a discussion on reforming US tax policy to encourage economic growth and sustainability. As I've said before, innovation acts as the bedrock of the American economy. Tax policies that support innovation can help to strengthen our economy and cement US preeminence in the global marketplace.

Last week, Senators Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) released a bipartisan report on strategies to reduce U.S. drug demand. The report outlines strategies for Congress and the Obama Administration to reduce the massive U.S. demand for illegal drugs.   The report was published by the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control, which is co-chaired by Feinstein and Grassley.

Today, I want to share some of my work on the Campaign for Modern Medicines.  If you haven't been following the Campaign, I highly suggest you check us out. Our mission is straightforward: we champion the public policies necessary to ensure individuals have access to the safe, effective, and breakthrough medicines of today and tomorrow.  Together, we are a diverse coalition of individuals and organizations who believe that a robust, united and vibrant community of empowered advocates can have a real impact on the policy decisions that will improve our health. Here is some information on our current project - PDUFA:

Last month, Alex Azar, president of Lilly USA and former Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, delivered the keynote speech at the Galen Institute's Tomorrow Is Built Today: The Future of Health Care Innovation event in Washington, DC.  

Earlier this week, Chicago welcomed the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) for their 2012 Annual Meeting. Today's LinkPad looks at some of the highlights from the conference:

Last week, the American Society of Clinical Oncology held its Annual Meeting in Chicago,  At a Sunday session, oncology professionals came together to talk "Affordability of Cancer Care: A Global Perspective," which highlighted both alarming global cancer statistics and collaborative combative efforts.  Lancet Oncology published recent findings that global cancer cases are projected to rise 75 percent by 2030. 

On Friday, Lilly Oncology debuted a mobile application that places cancer clinical trials data at healthcare professionals' fingertips.  The Lilly Oncology Clinical Trials Resource application provides details on global oncology trials (both Lilly and non-Lilly sponsored), allowing healthcare providers to search current trials that are enrolling new patients.  

So, what does this mean for cancer patients? It means that their doctors can locate trials by disease state, molecule of study, study phase, country, state and keyword to match patients to ongoing research in oncology and to potential treatments.  

On Tuesday, the FDA issued a warning about another counterfeit drug infiltrating the US market through an illegitimate online pharmacy. This warning serves to underscore the true depth of the public health threat that rogue online drug sellers pose to patients. 

This week's LinkPad looks at the reports on this recent discovery.

With so much happening in health policy, I find it's often helpful to take a step back from the politics and remember why these bills are so critical--it's all about the patients. This week's LinkPad highlights voices that put health policy in perspective.

In September 2011, President Obama signed the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA), bringing the greatest modernizations to U.S. patent law in the past 175 years.  Last week, the House Judiciary Committee heard testimony on current progress on implementation of the America Invents Act. The America Invents Act refines U.S. patent and trademark laws to increase the quality of patents and provide user fee funding to the agency. It also further enhances intellectual property standards by making the process for obtaining and enforcing patents more transparent, objective, predictable and simple. As I've said, an effective patent system is vital for ensuring American economic competitiveness and promoting medical innovation.

Biomedical innovation acts as an engine for the creation of high-paying jobs and economic growth. However, global competition threatens to unseat the United States from its top position in this critical research field. Last week, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) held an event discussing their new report that benchmarks international competitiveness in biomedical research. The report highlights policy solutions to address the increasing number of countries that continue to implement national biomedical leadership strategies that shift dominance in this field away from the United States. 

Enhancing the quality of life for patients by providing access to safe and effective medicines has always been a primary objective here at Lilly. This week's LinkPad looks at the voices surrounding efforts at combating counterfeit drugs and the threat they pose to public health.

This week, the House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously approved the FDA Reform Act, which will reauthorize the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA).  As I have often discussed on LillyPad , PDUFA is an important legislation that ensures patients have access to new and innovative medicines faster.  This week's LinkPad highlights what is being said about the past successes of PDUFA and its latest legislative installment.

On Thursday, I told you about Lilly's new partnership with the National Institutes for Health National Center for Advancing Translational Science (NCATS), which brings the public center, biopharmaceutical companies and researchers together to find new uses for tabled medicines.  

Last Friday, the Global Health Technologies Coalition released a report on the health and economic benefits of U.S. government investments in global health research and development. While the cost of R&D can be staggering, public-private partnerships offer alternative, successful ways to ensure that patients have access to new medicines despite these costs. According to the GHTC report, in the last decade the U.S. government was the world leader in global health R&D, spending over $12.7 billion. 

This morning, the National Institutes of Health National Center for Translational Science (NCATS) unveiled  Discovering New Therapeutic Uses for Existing Molecules, a new collaborative program that connects researchers with industry-developed molecules and data. Through their partnership with NCATS, Lilly, Pfizer and AstraZeneca will make dozens of their molecules available for the initiative's pilot phase.  

Yesterday, Forbes contributor, Doug Schoen published an article outlining the benefits of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)  for American economic growth. With the right negotiation outcomes, including strong intellectual property rights for all sectors,  U.S. companies will be open to new markets, expanding exportation potential, increasing the number of high-paying American jobs, and lowering prices for consumers.     

In honor of National Poetry Month, I decided to have a little fun with this week's LinkPad.  I present my Ode to Innovation...

America is the land of innovation;
Dreamers built this great nation.
Our dominance we must hold,
As global forces come in the fold.
How can we support our economy
And sustain innovative industry?

Strong protections for IP,
Find partnerships for R&D,
Pass a clean prescription drug user fee [act],
Preserve Medicare Part D.

For new and vital medication,
We need supportive legislation.

The impact of disease is not the same for everyone, and responses to medicines can vary based on the individual.  These differences in outcomes are referred to as health disparities, and they can exist based on a patient's geographic location, gender, racial, cultural and lifestyle characteristics.  With the understanding that health disparities affect patient outcomes differently within communities of color, the National Minority Quality Forum and the Congressional Black Caucus came together for a symposium dedicated to promoting diversity in clinical trials research...

On LillyPad, we talk a lot about innovation, but what does innovation really mean? 

As Rana Foroohar pointed out at a recent ITIF event, innovation can be a rather nebulous term. Coming up with a consensus on how to approach, sustain, and promote innovation requires a way to define and discuss the broad scope of innovative industries and outputs....  

Today in Washington, an unprecedented number of Alzheimer's advocates laced up their shoes and took the Hill by storm to shed light on the need for coordinated action to combat Alzheimer's disease. An estimated 5.4 million older Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease, including at least 800,000 who live alone. Without action to change the trajectory of the disease, by 2050, as many as 16 million Americans will have Alzheimer's disease...

As I've said before, the increasingly globalized marketplace has presented challenges to U.S. dominance in innovation-based competitiveness. A recent conference sponsored by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation explored America's current role in the innovation marketplace, and sought to develop a consensus on future actions to ensure U.S. competitiveness and economic growth in 2013 and beyond...

This week has been all about innovation. On Tuesday, Lilly.com was relaunched with more videos, pictures, and graphics demonstrating the meaning behind innovation. In the spirit of innovation, this week's LinkPad looks into the future with infographics on how technology has the potential to change health care for patients, doctors and industry...

If innovation serves as the foundation of the United States economy, intellectual property provides the mortar used to build that foundation. As I've said before, intellectual property rights give vital support to innovation and creativity in nearly every part of the U.S. economy. A new report published by the Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA) and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) sought to estimate not only the direct contributions of IP-intensive industries on the U.S. economy, but also track the ripple, or domino, effects of the industries throughout the nation...

What is the most important health policy you probably haven't heard of? It's PDUFA, the Prescription Drug User Fee Act, according to today's blog from Sarah Kliff for the Washington Post Wonkblog. Twenty years ago, PDUFA was implemented to help the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) develop the resources and tools to more efficiently regulate the approval of new medicines...

As I've said before, innovation is the lifeblood of the American economy. However, without the support of a dedicated workforce and sound public policy, innovation cannot occur. When most people think about the pharmaceutical workforce they think of chemists and lab technicians, but the 3.2 million American jobs created by the pharmaceutical industry come from a diverse range of sectors...

"Health care" seems to be on the tip of every Americans' tongue this week.  Today's LinkPad focuses on some of the major policies we've all been hearing about and what others have to say about them...

Did you know that March is Women's History Month? Yesterday, I commemorated all of the influential women in America's history with an inspiring panel on Women's Voices in the 21st Century....

In honor of the two year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (and in light of the upcoming arguments to be presented before the Supreme Court), this week's LinkPad takes a look back at the last two years since implementation and the future of health care reform...

A bipartisan group of 67 members of the House of Representatives wrote to President Obama on March 8 in support of retaining 12 years of data protection for biologic products as provided by the Biologics Price Competition Act of 2010....

Last week, the Senate Finance Committee held a  hearing on President Obama's 2012 trade agenda, with the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) garnering particular attention. As I've said before, the Trans-Pacific Partnership is vital to fostering the growth of new markets for U.S. products...

Last Tuesday, the U.S. Senate took an important step toward protecting American consumers from counterfeit drugs -- dangerous lookalikes that bear false trademarks -- that can potentially contain harmful chemicals or lack key ingredients. The Senate passed the Counterfeit Drug Penalty Enhancement Act (S. 1886), which will increase penalties for violators who manufacture, 

As Patient Safety Awareness Week comes to a close, this week's LinkPad highlights one of the growing threats to public health--counterfeit drugs. Here, we're covering what's being done about it, and how patients can protect themselves from illicit medicines.

Last week's LinkPad highlighted current voices leading the way in the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) repeal process. Just ten minutes into their Tuesday morning hearing, the House Energy and Commerce Committee voted to approve Medicare Decisions Accountability Act (H.R. 452), which would strike the IPAB provision of the Affordable Care Act...

Last week, the Aspen Institute Health Stewardship Project hosted a panel on one of LillyPad's favorite subjects--innovation. The event presented a portion of the findings from a recent Aspen Institute publication, entitled Reinventing Health Care: The Barriers to Innovation, which provided recommendations to accomplish three health care goals: improve patient experience, organize provider practices, and reduce costs. On a panel moderated by Susan Dentzer, Editor-in-Chief of Health Affairs, representatives from IBM Research, Intermountain Healthcare, and WellPoint, Inc discussed how promotion of health care innovation is vital to achieve these goals...

On Wednesday, the Energy and Commerce Committee voted 17-5 in favor of HR 452, the "Medicare Decisions Accountability Act of 2011," a law which would repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) provision of the Affordable Care Act. As I've mentioned in previous blogs, the creation of the IPAB has the potential to stifle future innovation and to endanger Medicare beneficiaries. This week's LinkPad highlights what experts are saying about IPAB...

Yesterday, the Welcome Back Awards honored five outstanding individuals for their work in the fight against depression. Thirteen years ago, Eli Lilly and Company established the Welcome Back Awards to help fight the stigma associated with depression and to promote the understanding that depression is treatable. This year, the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare has partnered with Lilly to recognize the 2011 honorees...

Being the last day in February, today marks the international observance of Rare Disease Day, which focuses global attention on the needs of patients and families affected by rare diseases.  Rare Disease Day began in Europe in 2008, and has since grown to include over 60 countries.  Lilly is one of more than 500 partnering companies, patient organizations, government entities, and research institutions that signed-on to support Rare Disease Day 2012.  The National Organization for Rare Disorders sponsors the day in the United States... 

The Online Pharmacy Safety Act (H.R. 4095) was introduced today in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR). The bill is a House version of S. 2002, which was introduced in December 2011 by Senators Feinstein (D-CA), Sessions (R-AL), Schumer (D-NY), and Cornyn (R-TX)...

This week the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a draft of the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease, which offers specific action steps to accelerate research on treatment and prevention, as well as proposals for improving care, services, and support for patients, families, and caregivers...

With Rare Disease Day approaching on February 29, I got to thinking about what might be stopping new, effective treatments from reaching patients who suffer from rare and/or chronic conditions.  Between 1995 and 2005, the amount of money invested in biomedical research for all therapeutic areas increased, but the number of FDA drug approvals in the same period actually declined...

This week's LinkPad focuses on the response to President Obama's Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Proposal  and its potential negative impact on access to health care, job creation and innovation...

Recently, California Healthcare Institute released the 2012 California Biomedical Industry Report. The study reflects the opinions of approximately 100 CEOs from California-based biomedical companies about the challenges to biomedical industry growth, California operations, access to capital, and workforce development...

Providing access to safe, affordable medicines remains one of the most important goals of the health care industry. In honor of that charge, this week's LinkPad highlights the latest happenings in the areas of medicine access, safety, and affordability...

Diabetes remains a serious health and economic burden for American families and the United State's healthcare system.  If diabetes and pre-diabetes diagnoses continue to rise at their current rate, the financial burden of the disease will considerably increase...

On Wednesday this week, the members of the Health Subcommittee on the House Energy and Commerce Committee spent several hours listening to testimony regarding the reauthorization of PDUFA, PREA, and BPCA.  For today's blog, I thought it might be interesting to share a little more background n why these pieces of legislation are so important...

 Yesterday, Lilly's own Senior Vice President and General Counsel and chair of the Section on Intellectual Property of American Bar Association, Robert Armitage, testified before the House Judiciary Committee regarding the recently adopted Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA).   Armitage has called the legislation the "world's first patent law specifically crafted for the 21st century."  ...

Earlier this week, the Information Technology & Innovation foundation hosted Jerald Hage, Co-Director of the Center for Innovation at University of Maryland, for a presentation of the findings from his upcoming book...

It's been a big week for PDUFA! The FDA completed and submitted its recommendations for three user fee programs intended to speed safe and effective drugs...

Innovation is the buzzword around the Consumer Electronics Show - for good reason.  It is hard not to be dazzled by the latest 3D televisions that are thin as a pencil and more pixels than I ever thought was possible. It is hard not to think about the future of a smart home, imagine the Jetson's home in...

December was a quiet month in Washington. The nation's political focus shifted elsewhere - to the Presidential primaries.  I enjoyed the time to sit back and think about what's next.

2012 promises to be a...

Yesterday, Senators Feinstein (D-CA),  Sessions (R-AL), Schumer (D-NY), and Cornyn (R-TX) took a significant step to serve and protect the interests of patients by introducing S.2002 Online Pharmacy Safety Act (OPSA) Act of 2011.  This bill provides...

Where will the next 10 million American jobs come from?  Is innovation a job-killer or a job-creator?  These are just a couple of the important questions tackled at Wednesday's...

It's not every week that an issue like intellectual property sparks such widespread public debate, even within the Twitterverse. With all of the current noise behind IP, we at LillyPad thought we'd st...

Yesterday, we helped the World Federation for Mental Health commemorate the 2011 World Mental Health Day at the Pan American Health Or...

It may be raining here in Washington today, but things are looking bright for international trade, especially for those lucky enough to be in Hawaii.  Today, our President, Chairman, and CEO, John Le...

Continuing the dialogue on Medicare Part D, just last week Medicare Today and KRC Research released the ...

If you read any of my blogs, or follow LillyPad on twitter, then you might have noticed that I like to talk a lot about innovation.  Just ...

Many things happen behind closed doors in Washington. I want to continue to open the door and show you what happens.   Yesterday, I began to address a le...

Many things happen in Washington that take place behind closed doors.  I want to break down some of the mystery and share a few things with you. 

As you likely know if you read my blogs, the ...

In case you weren't able to join us on Thursday, the #mmeds discussion centered on Medicare Part D, the prescription drug benefit program.  Bart Peterson, former Mayor of Indianapolis and Lilly's...

The prescription drug benefit program, Medicare Part D, is a hot topic in Washington right now—for good reason.

With so many helpful, descriptive graphics coming out, I couldn’t help but share.  Today’s LinkPad is dedicated to our more visual learners.  Check out the charts and video below for a more (vis...

On Tuesday, I debunked some of the common myths about Medicare and Medicaid. One of these myths--the effectiveness of cost-containment strategies--is currently being echoed on the Hill. The myth pr...

I spent last week at AARP in Los Angeles. While I was there, I was able to garner many insights - one of which was regarding Medicare and Medicaid. This is what leads me to my pop quiz.

Qu...

Yesterday, I shared how proposed changes to Medicare Part D could cost  us our ability to ...

The United States took a great leap forward last week to grow and encourage American innovation and build its global competitiveness, as President Obama ...

Thursday’s e-Advocacy Summit was a huge success; we had the hashtag #eadv trending in DC by 10:30 AM!  I’d like to give special thanks to our partner organization, ...

Today's excitement has been filled with lots of great features and panels.  After pausing for a moment to take in the scene, in our social media "control center," I thought I'd share some of ...

We’re halfway through the day here at the eAdvocacy Summit and I’m excited to report #ea...

In Washington, we often get caught up in the policy world and find ourselves forgetting to look past the political rhetoric and remember why we are here. One of the exciting things about today...

A few weeks ago, we gave you a teaser on our future plans to expand our social media reach in our LinkPad on #hcsm (health care social media).  Now, Li...

Yesterday, the Senate passed the bi-partisan Leahy-Smith American Invents Act (H.R. 1249) without amendments in an 89-9 vote that approved the first major overhaul of the United States’ patent syste...

Sometimes the stakes are just too high - it is time to enact the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (H.R. 1249) to...

We are excited to continue engaging with patients, customers and colleagues through a variety of social media platforms, including YouTube. On the heels of launching our enhanced ...

With Monday’s broad 93-5 cloture vote, the Senate turned its attention to patent reform.  The bi-partisan “Lea...

While last week DC was preparing for a hurricane, this week feels like the true calm before the storm. Congress returns from its August recess on September 6, and District politicos are awaiting the ...

Between an earthquake and an impending hurricane, the District has had a pretty exciting week, but even that cannot stop the wonks from wonking. Here are some pieces that caught our eye this week:

Yesterday I gave a little preview of what’s to come at our e-Advocacy Summit September 15...

Things have been fairly quiet here in DC during the month of August, but prospects are already looking up, especially with our e-Advocacy Summit fast approaching on September 15. LillyPad and the folk...

With Facebook announcing the August 15^th end to its policy that allows pharmaceutical companies to disable user comments on their Facebook pages, we thought we would focus this week's Lin...

LillyPad has always been a strong advocate for policies that drive innovation, because we understand that innovation (partnered with a highly skilled workforce and sound public policy) is the lifebloo...

The recent fracas on the Hill over the debt ceiling debate has toned down and this week we were glad to see the atmosphere in Washington focus on some other issues.  Here are some highlights: 

Last week we discussed the important role that diabetes educators can play by informing and empowering in...

Chronic diseases, like diabetes, are a major driver of health care costs. Did you know ...

In the two short days that I have spent at the 102nd Annual NAACP Convention, I have truly been humbled to be in the presence of such an inspiring group of leaders and visionaries not just in the Afri...

I recently came across a haunting slideshow in The Guardian</...

Today the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) unveiled ...

The Independent Panel Advisory Board (IPAB) is now in the hot seat. Last week the House hearings emph...

The House of Representatives has honed in on IPAB this week, holding two hearings on the controversial Independent Payment Advisory Board in just two d...

During last week’s  Congressional Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health’s hearing on PDUFA, FDA performan...

Two important health policy debates are occurring in Washington, D.C. this week.  One is regarding the future of medicine in America via a PDUFA (Pr...

Did you happen to follow along with the PDUFA V hearing today?  I did.   Of note, several Members of Congress and the panelists highlighted the importance of ensuring innovation to continue to he...

Innovation is important.  This is especially true when it comes to new and innovative medicines that can save lives.  As...

If you followed LillyPad’s Twitter coverage of the the BIO-International Convention (#BIO2011), you may have taken note of a dominant theme—...

Here at the BIO-International Convention there has been a lot of talk on how the promise of biotechnology can help us to change the world. As Tony Blair said, biotech will the same impact on the first...

Yesterday afternoon, innovation won.  The House of Representatives passed the “Leahy-Smith America Invents Act” by a broad bipartisan majority of 304-117. Now the action returns to the Senate, wh...

A Patent Quiz

We've talked extensively about patents over the last few months and I thought it was time to test our know...

Today, we have a special edition of LinkPad focusing on patent reform.  Below are both a few words of commentary as well as some links to articles that go more in-depth on the bill before the Hou...

Have you heard of Lilly for Better Health?

Five years ago, we launched ...

At the end of May, Senator Chuck Schumer of New York addressed the current Medicare structure during his appearance on ...

Congress may not be in town, but the discussions continue.

• An Op-Ed by Congressman Larry Bucshon  (R-IN) on IPAB or the ...

There are many policy areas influenced by medical innovation, most notable are healthcare and the economy.  The health side often focuses on patient outcomes while the economic side includes jobs, co...

In a recent LinkPad, I highlighted an event on medication adherence hosted by the National Consumers ...

Last week, like most here in DC, Capitol Hill was abuzz with debates and discussions about the latest draft of legislation in either chamber.  The buzz last week was of particular importance to Eli L...

Just a few interesting reads for your Friday afternoon.

• Research America released its 2011 America Speaks poll ...

Last month, President Obama stated that Independent Payment Advisory Board</...

Last Thursday, United States Trade Representative Ambassador Ron Kirk spoke to the Washington International Trade Association about the gains the administration has ...

If America fails to get and stay in the game, our exporters will lose not only new opportunities in foreign markets, but increasingly lose current business as their foreign competitors fac...

Last weekend, Secretary Clinton visited Seoul and pledged her commitment to the ...

Last year, when we launched LillyPad’s blog and twitter, our goal was to engage in conversations about policy and advocacy. By doing so, I believe we have an even better understanding about the need...

This week, 21 members of the International Alliance of Patient Organizations representing nine African nations will meet in Johannesburg, South Africa to discuss the need for safe medicines as well as effective...

I wanted to wrap up my coverage on a few thoughts on innovation. The last speaker of the meeting was Fareed Zakaria. He focused on the future of innovation and the economy, personally one of my topics...

Three out of four dollars in health care are spent on chronic diseases (for Medicare recipients, this figures rises to over ninety percent of costs being spent on chronic diseases). Chronic diseases ...

A diverse panel discussed a looming question over health care today... How do we balance the demand for value today with the need for innovation tomorrow?

I have discussed this several times on Lil...

Taking the focus on the patient to the next level.

Living in Washington, DC it is easy to focus on the numbers. Numbers grab attention. Numbers in the hundreds of billions of dollars are used by po...

The African Union Mission (AU) and Global Health Progress (GHP) delegations joined in a roundtable discussion this m...

With the country recovering from debates on the federal budget, I figured a look at some brighter events might be in order.  Last week week Lilly announced that 200 employees would be leaving their...

Living in Washington, one becomes accustomed to partisan politics. It seems as though both sides are always arguing and can't ever really agree. That's why it's refreshing to see a discussion ...

Like all companies, Lilly is only as good as the sum of its parts.  Those parts consist of well educated, highly skilled individuals who use their talents to discover, develop and distribute those pr...

Lilly is committed toward partnerships to help evolve discussions in the health policy arena geared toward the interests of African Americans. Our CEO, John Lechleiter, has reiterated our commitment t...

Innovation.  That seems to be the buzz word around Washington lately.  Innovation is important, but what does it mean?  What can it mean to you?  What can policymakers do to promote innovation in ...

Last week, I wrote about the new moves the U.S. Government's Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator (IPEC...

As has been highlighted by individuals this week (including me) the proliferation of counterfeit drugs ...

Last night after watching the unveiling of the NCAA tournament brackets, I saw the preview for 60 Minutes that caught my eye.  The segment was "The difficult fight against counterfeit drugs....

This has been a big week for patent reform.  As I discussed on Wednesday, the Senate passed the America Invents Act of 2011 by an overwhelming margin (95-5).  In this week's LinkPad...

Last night, the Senate passed (by an overwhelming bipartisian vote 95-5)  the America Invents Act of 2011 (Patent Reform) -- bringing us one step closer to a stronger, more transparent patent sys...

Living in Washington, D.C., I see a lot of people dressed in ball gowns and tuxes.  The purpose is usually to bring together supportors of an important cause. Tomorrow night is one such evening.  Th...

We've frequently discussed why intellectual property is the foundation for an innovative economy.  This week the Senate began consideration of the Patent Reform Act of 2011.

• Commerce Secr...

The Governors were in Washington for their annual meeting of the National Governors Association. You may have seen them making the rounds on the Sunday morning talk shows.  I've seen them shuffling...

This week, in another one of the many ironies about life in the District, much attention is being paid to an agency crucial to driving innovation, the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) and the current...

Details are important.  But I am a big picture person.  

I am often guilty of focusing on where I am going, rather than how I am going to get there.  As friends who have taken a road trip with ...

It's Friday.  It feels like I've spent the entire week reading about numbers.  Maybe that is because I have.   On Monday, the President released his proposed budget for 2012 this week.

In the m...

"The President proposes, but the Congress disposes."

These are words that a professor of mine repeated over and over again until I started to dream about the budget process at night (at least they ...

Recently, First Lady Michelle Obama announced a healthy foods initiative with the largest US grocer, Walmart, as part of her ...

Last week, the White House was focused both on competitiveness and innovation, two important issues we've discussed on LillyPad. We're interested to continuing participating in the conversation...

This week I have decided to focus on several online projects that caught my attention this week.  Check them out.

An improved Patent and Trademark Office can create jobs. Last week, the House Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Compensation and the Internet met to discuss "how an improved U.S. Patent and Trademark Office...

The State of the Union was this week, and the reactions continue to pour in, here are a few that caught my eye.

Yesterday, as the President addressed members of Congress, he focused growing the nation’s capabilities by “out-innovating, out-educating and out-building the rest of the world.” President Obama...

Yesterday morning, I read an article in the New York Times about a new federal drug development effort housed at the National ...

Washington is getting back to its feverish pace this week.  Between Congress back in session and China's state visit, not only is it hard to find a cab but it was hard to keep up with the news.  Her...

Last week, I talked brielfy about the Council for American Medical Innovation conference and the need for ...

Earlier today, I attended Bipartisan Policy Center's launch of the New Health Project.  The project, led by former Senate Majority Leaders Tom Daschle a...

This week we observed several states take some sizable steps towards releasing a budget.  While the methods v...

This afternoon, the Council for American Medical Innovation hosted a panel discussion focusing the federal policies needed to keep the U.S. glob...

California's newly elected governor, Jerry Brown, is expected to release his inaugural budget (the link doesn't exist anymore) proposal toda...

With the swearing-in ceremonies on Capitol Hill and the inaguration of new governors across the states, today's news seems to be focused much more on politics and parties than on policy.  There are ...

Welcome to 2011. I was fortunate to take a few days off over the holidays, but the new year is here  and the LillyPad team is back and ready to enage.  I hope that you had a chance to recharge y...

Friday kicked off with a panel focused on comparative effectiveness research (CER) and the pharmaceutical industry.  Yesterday, CER was discussed briefly ...

The afternoon of the FDA/CMS Summit is focusing on payor and how biopharma products can deliver greater value via the use of comparative effectiveness research. Comparative effectiveness research is a...

In a panel discussion,  executives from the biopharma industry joined  John Jenkins, MD, Director, Office of New Drugs at the FDA and Steven Nissen, MD, Chairman of Cardiology at the Cleveland Cli...

Today's opening keynote speaker at the FDA/CMS Summit for biopharma executives was Janet Woodcock, MD, Director of FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation & Research (CEDR).  Dr. Woodcock highlighted th...

This morning, I was fortunate to participate in the Education for Innov...

Tomorrow morning, I'll be watching the Education For Innovation: A Digi...

While much of this week’s major international news stories focused on Wikileaks, Julian Assange and U.S. diplomacy, a number of smaller news stories emerged surrounding counterfeit medicines and new...

On Monday, I began my discussion on Medicaid funding and the implications for state budgets. As political rhetoric amplifies, the effects of the recession continue to be felt, and as health care refor...

I took some time over the Thanksgiving holiday to think about next year and what may happen from a health care policy perspective.  I've spent the last few months discussing several aspects of h...

Many new administrations are preparing to take over state capitol's in a few weeks.  One of the challenges they will face is how to manage the budget.  They are not alone in this, continuing adminis...

Immediately following the elections, IPAB was front and center in health care discussions.  With the ...

Two days ago, I attended a panel at American Enterprise Institute (AEI) that examined the drug pricing reports periodically issued by AARP. The focus of...

Health care reform (HCR) is receiving a lot of attention at the national level. But when it comes to down to the actual implementation of health care reform, states are where a lot of the action is. I...

The ballots are counted (mostly) and policymakers are setting their agendas, many focusing on health care reform.  Here are a few perspectives and predictions on what may happen now:

As the election buzz dwindles, the rhetoric on health care reform is heating up.  Republicans are discus...

Flipping between football games this weekend, I found myself stopping to watch the political commercials between plays.  I watched the political ping pong play out in 30 to 60 second ads, opponent...

A common concern expressed about the pharmaceutical industry is that we do not do enough to ensure that patients have access to our medicines or that we're withholding medicines that can help alleviat...

While we wish that cost was not a consideration when making health care decisions for our families, steps can be taken to minimize out of pocket costs for safe, regulated, FDA approved medicines. 

...

The election season may be in full swing, but that doesn't mean the conversations have stopped.  A few things that caught my eye this week are repatriation, counterfeit medicines, and state budgets.

...

I was out of the office for a few days and when I returned I noticed that comparative effectiveness research (CER) has taken over my blog roll. The conversation was spurred by a recent Health Affairs ...

For the 14^th straight year, Eli Lilly and Company honors mental health professionals and individuals for their exceptional contributions and achievements in helping those battling serious m...

Don’t worry, the Auburn rivalry isn’t going anywhere, and no there is no new collegiate sports league.  I am talking about the AAC Medicaid reimbursement structure.

Late last month the Centers...

We've talked a lot about innovation on LillyPad and why it is important for the future of health care. Late last week, several articles caught my eye regarding the importance of innovation in life ...

It seems as if innovation was at the forefront of many discussions this week.  Here are a few of the articles that caught my eye.

 This week the ...

If you didn't, here is what you may have missed during our 3rd Annual Lilly Day of Service... (the following was pulled directly from our Twitter feed, if you don't already follow us, please do ...

Bob Armitage, Lilly's Sr. Vice President and General Counsel, was named one of The 25 Most Influential People in Intellectual Prop...

In a White House meeting today, the Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator's (IPEC) office hosted various stakeholders convened to discuss the growing number of illegal online "pharmacies" posi...

About one year ago, Lilly partnered with advocates from around the country to develop Community Conversations, a tool designed to bring community stakeholders together to address various challenges fo...

Thursday was the six-month anniversary of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.  Implementation is now beginning.

Yesterday, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) ...

This morning, the Washington Post published an article regarding the price of prescription drugs.  David Hilzenrath authored the article, entitled ...

Before I discuss IPAB further... a quiz.

What is IPAB?

1. The newest game sweeping community centers across the nation. At this rate, IPAB is expected to take over BINGO in only two years.

2....

How did we get here? Where are we going? What now? These are the thoughts crossing many policymakers minds as we approach the six month benchmark of health reform being enacted into law. When legis...

It was a busy week, both inside and outside of the walls of Lilly, as the six-month anniversary of health reform approaches, and Lilly entered into the online debate. I appreciate the support we've r...

In today's world, the same counterfeit products that are being sold in India can be advertised and sold to patients in developed countries.  It is estimated that 50-90 percent of medicines purchase...

LinkPad is Lilly's weekly update of interesting, noteworthy, or fun news from across the web. This week, I explore the strides some states are making to deliver health care to its citizens.

Reducing the current backlog of over 750,000 patent applications and unleashing the technological advances they represent can significantly bolster the U. S. economy and increase American jobs.  This...