BioOhio represents and advocates for Ohio’s bioscience community to improve business environment and public funding climate. Alone or in conjunction with partners and members, BioOhio pursues both a proactive and responsive advocacy program. Key action areas include:

• Economic Development
• Workforce Development
• Research Support
• Patient Access

Recent Activity

January/February 2012
Supported Senator Sherrod Brown's visit to Cincinnati State in January to tour biomedical workforce retraining classes.

Represented Ohio's biomedical industry at the Columbus Business Leaders’ Briefing at the White House on Feb. 7.

Helping JobsOhio develop a Biohealth strategic plan.

November/December 2011
A BioOhio op-ed advocating for repeal of the medical device excess tax was published in The Cleveland Plain Dealer and Columbus Business First.

BioOhio supported BIO's efforts in asking Congress to extend the Therapeutic Discovery Project in 2012. BioOhio added its name, and offered BioOhio members the opportunity to add their name, to a letter to be sent to the Senate Finance Committee and House Ways & Means Committee leadership in early December.

Autumn 2011
BioOhio supported efforts and positions of BIO, AdvaMed, MDMA, and PhRMA with letters, calls, and collaborative events. Issues of interest included repeal of the medical device tax, biosimilars, job creation legislation, Medicare reimbursement changes, and FDA.

In November, BioOhio attended a BIO "Fly-In" on Capitol Hill to meet with members of Ohio's Congressional delegation to advocate for passage of the Life Sciences Re-investment Act (S. 1410 and HR 2632). Under the bill, companies could elect an increased tax credit from 20-40% for the first $150 million of bioscience research. Or, alternatively, a company or individual could return up to $150 million in foreign earnings into the U.S. at a 5.25% tax rate as long as it was invested in new bioscience jobs, R&D, or infrastructure.

June 2011
BioOhio hosted a Capitol Hill Luncheon, featuring Senator Sherrod Brown, Senator Rob Portman, and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius. Executives from leading Ohio bioscience organizations (BioOhio members) filled the meeting room for a wide-ranging discussion on issues important to continued growth of bioscience business in Ohio and the nation, such as: workforce development and attraction; the Therapeutic Discovery Project tax credit; health care reform implications and opportunities; NIH and SBIR funding; and, of course, the FDA.

May 2011
Represented Ohio's biomedical interests at the BIO Legislative Day Fly-In, Washington, D.C. Met with several members of Ohio's Congressional delegation, educating them on Ohio's bioscience industry growth and advocating for initiatives that support innovation, job creation, and entrepreneurship.

April 2011
BioOhio weighed in on the patent reform legislation (H.R. 1249) currently being considered by Congress with a letter to Congressman Chabot and Congressman Jordan, both members of the House committee. BioOhio aligns with BIO on this issue and will continue to monitor the legislation as it proceeds through the process.

March 2011
BioOhio hosted Statehouse Day & Reception on March 22. Best turnout of members and legislators ever. Individual meetings held before the reception were focused on member-specific needs, while also promoting BioOhio’s statewide agenda.

February 2011
BioOhio President & CEO Tony Dennis spoke to the House Economic Development and Small Business Committee about the importance of the bioscience industry to Ohio’s overall economy. Legislators were very interested in learning more and asked a variety of questions ranging from how to improve the business climate to how to ensure that companies can meet their workforce needs.

January 2011
BioOhio met with Congressman Jim Jordan to advocate for the protection of ARRA funding that was awarded to BioOhio in early 2010 from stimulus funding backlash in Congress. This $5 million U.S. Department of Labor grant is being used to launch a transformational initiative to revolutionize the way bioscience education is delivered by the community college system to Ohio’s bioscience companies. In addition to one-on-one meetings on this topic, BioOhio sent a letter to Speaker John Boehner.

September-November 2010
Presented Rep. Sandra Williams (HD 11-Cleveland) with a Legislator of the Year award for her work as Chair of the House Economic Development Committee... Visited targeted offices in Washington, DC to gain support from key legislators for upcoming BioOhio initiatives... Presented Rep. Jay Goyal (HD 73-Mansfield) with a Legislator of the Year award for his work with the bioscience industry... Honored U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown for his support of economic development and workforce initiatives benefiting the bioscience industry... Presented Rep. Bill Coley (HD 55-Middletown) with a Legislator of the Year award for his work with the bioscience industry... Working with AdvaMed to safeguard the 510k medical device approval process at FDA.

July 2010
Visited members of the Ohio Delegation offices in Washington to educate them on the bioscience industry, projects of importance and strategies to remain competitive in the future.

May 2010
Tony Dennis testified in opposition to SB 243, legislation that originally criminalized ethical and useful forms of therapeutic stem cell research. Tony spoke about the economic impact of making Ohio less friendly for researchers and the importance of supporting innovation in order to remain competitive internationally.

March 2010
Joined BIO and AdvaMed in opposition to the device tax, which was included in the final version of the Affordable Care Act... Called all of the Ohio Delegation to inform about the potential negative impact on the industry in Ohio. Signed onto letters of opposition... Hosted BioOhio Statehouse Day.

February 2010
Coordinated bioscience company tours for State Rep. Todd Book and State Rep. Allan Sayre in Athens, Columbus, and Cincinnati... Assisted the House Agriculture Committee with language in House Bill 414, a bill establishing standards for the new livestock care board. The committee requested help with language pertaining to animals that are used in bioscience/biomedical research facilities or medical centers.

December 2009
Supporting the renewal of the Third Frontier program has been a top priority for BioOhio. BioOhio President Tony Dennis testified before the House Economic Development Committee and provided an update on the status of the Ohio bioscience industry, including the successes of the Third Frontier Project as it pertains to the bioscience industry, and the need for expedited renewal of Third Frontier funding.

November 2009