The sponsor of S.B. 790, a bill that would otherwise ban respondent incentives for California doctors participating in most pharmaceutical marketing research, has agreed to the Insights Association's amendment that would exempt bona fide research from the ban.
Sen. Mike McGuire has agreed to accept our amendment proposal, as you can see in the latest circulated draft on page 5, and the latest published version of the bill.
However, the fate of this bill is uncertain. According to our Sacramento lobbying firm, several specialty physician groups, hospital groups, and pharmaceutical companies are battling over their own amendment proposals and newly oppose the bill until their concerns are satisfied. After considering a delay, the Assembly Health Committee will go ahead with a planned hearing on June 27 while Sen. McGuire and committee staff continue to revise the bill text. Consequently, the bill's language is in flux and we are taking nothing for granted.
Your assistance is still needed. As many members have already done, we urge you (or your colleagues, partners, vendors and friends) in California to contact your specific California Assembly members to support S.B. 790 with the Insights Association's amendment exempting blinded marketing research with doctors. If possible, you should share a compelling story about the value of pharmaceutical marketing research with medical professionals, like Carlos Garcia's story.
About the Author
Based in Washington, DC, Howard is the Insights Association's lobbyist for the marketing research and data analytics industry, focusing primarily on consumer privacy and data security, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), tort reform, and the funding and integrity of the decennial Census and the American Community Survey (ACS).
Howard has more than two decades of public policy experience. Before the Insights Association, he worked in Congress as senior legislative staffer for then-Representatives Christopher Cox (CA-48) and Cliff Stearns (FL-06). He also served more than four years with a science policy think tank, working to improve the understanding of scientific and social research and methodology among journalists and policymakers.
Howard is also co-director of The Census Project, a 900+ member coalition in support of a fair and accurate Census and ACS.
He has also served previously on the Board of Directors for the National Institute for Lobbying and Ethics and and the Association of Government Relations Professionals.
Howard has an MA International Relations from the University of Essex in England and a BA Honors Political Studies from Trent University in Canada, and has obtained the Certified Association Executive (CAE), Professional Lobbying Certificate (PLC) and the Public Policy Certificate (PPC).
When not running advocacy for the Insights Association, Howard enjoys hockey, NFL football, sci-fi and horror movies, playing with his dog, and spending time with family and friends.