California Life Sciences Association Applauds Confirmation of Alex Azar as HHS Secretary

WASHINGTON & SAN DIEGO & SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- California Life Sciences Association (CLSA), the trade association representing California’s life sciences industry, today commended the U.S. Senate’s confirmation of Alex M. Azar, II as the new secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

HHS plays a critical role in the life sciences innovation ecosystem through its extensive programs and agencies. These include agencies which regulate medical technology, biopharmaceutical, and public health research in California and beyond, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); the world’s pre-eminent publicly funded medical research institution, the National Institutes of Health (NIH); and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which oversees the reimbursement of innovative products through its health coverage and payment programs.

“We support Alex Azar’s confirmation and look forward to his leadership of HHS. The California Life Sciences Association and the organizations we represent are committed to spurring innovation and ensuring the value, affordability, and accessibility of healthcare – key areas Mr. Azar has committed to focusing on at HHS,” said Sara Radcliffe, President & CEO, California Life Sciences Association (CLSA). “We look forward to working with Secretary Azar and HHS agencies to ensure transparent and timely product review and reimbursement processes and maintain sustained public investment in basic and translational research. We also look forward to being a valuable partner in the current national debate on how to transition our healthcare system to one that is patient-centric, rewards value and sustained innovation, and promotes competition and choice.”

Alex Azar has had a distinguished career in both public service and the private sector, which prepares him well for the impactful role he now assumes. As HHS’s General Counsel and Deputy Secretary from 2001 to 2007, he had oversight of all HHS operations. More recently, he formed a biopharmaceutical and health insurance consulting firm in 2017, Seraphim Strategies, LLC. Previously, he spent a decade as a senior executive at Eli Lilly and Company, and rose to become President of Lilly USA, LLC.

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About California Life Sciences Association (CLSA)

California Life Sciences Association (CLSA) is the state’s largest and most influential life sciences advocacy and business leadership organization. With offices in Sacramento, San Diego, South San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington DC, CLSA works closely with industry, government, academia and others to shape public policy, improve access to innovative technologies and grow California’s life sciences economy. CLSA serves biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device and diagnostics companies, research universities and institutes, investors and service providers throughout the Golden State. CLSA was founded in 2015 when the Bay Area Bioscience Association (BayBio) and the California Healthcare Institute (CHI) merged. Visit CLSA at www.califesciences.org, and follow us on Twitter @CALifeSciences, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

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