Wilson Will Form Biotechnology Advisory Council

Gov. Pete Wilson on Friday said he would form a 20-member biotechnology council to advise Sacramento on how best to help the industry increase its competitiveness.

The announcement came as more than 500 health care experts met in San Diego to discuss--and in many cases criticize--President Clinton’s proposed health care reform package.

Many of those attending CalBio Summit 93--California’s largest gathering of biotechnology representatives this year--said the federal government’s proposed reform of the nation’s health care system would severely harm the industry’s ability to create new medicines, treatments and medical devices.

During a speech at the Hotel del Coronado, Wilson said he agreed with that assessment, pointing out that biotechnology is one of the few growing industries in recession-plagued California.

Wilson said the Governor’s Council on Biotechnology, to be headed by Julie Meier Wright, secretary of the California Trade & Commerce Agency, would suggest ways to spur continued growth in the industry, which employs 150,000 people and has a 7% annual growth rate.

“It will advise the Administration what California needs to do in order to allow the industry to have a greater share of the world market,” Wilson said. “What we want is your direction.”

Other details were not provided on the new council, which would be made up of Administration and industry officials.

Defending the work of the White House Task Force on Health Care Reform was Ira Magaziner, senior adviser to the President for policy development, who said that a specific reform bill would be introduced next week.

Magaziner said, via satellite from the White House, that the reforms are “the fairest way to deal with the current health care system” while making universal care available.

Though still open for revision, the plan’s essential elements--coverage for all Americans, more choice for consumers, price limits and simplification of the current health care system--need to be implemented right away, he said.

“This is a system that is very complex,” Magaziner said. “It offers no rhyme or reason. The status quo in health care is unacceptable.”

But Wilson suggests the Clinton Administration’s reform package would stifle industry growth.

Administration critics argue that price controls would dry up research and development funding and that a planned National Health Board would have broad powers to reject new products if deemed too expensive.

Daniel Korpolinski, president of the Biomedical Industry Council of Orange County and chief executive of CoSensys Inc. in Irvine, said the governor’s new council would help state officials understand the complicated industry.

The more politicians know about industry needs the more the industry will grow, providing jobs and new, life-saving products, Korpolinski said.

“It is a scary situation to me having governments and politicians so ill-informed,” Korpolinski said. “How does one understand the health care system without understanding the business?”

Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairman Harriett M. Wieder agreed that all levels of government need to support the industry. Wieder said she came to the conference to get a deeper understanding of the issues facing the biotechnology industry.

“We have to learn and you can only learn by involvement,” Wieder said.