The Biomarkers Consortium was founded by the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and Biotechnology Industry Organization have been instrumental in the implementation and organization of The Biomarkers Consortium.
Managing Partner
The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) procures funding and manages alliances with public and private institutions in support of the mission of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the premier medical research agency. The FNIH works with its partners to accelerate biomedical research and strategies to fight against diseases in the United States and across the world. The FNIH organizes and administers research programs; supports education and training of new researchers; organizes educational events and symposia; and administers a series of funds supporting a wide range of health challenges.
The FNIH was established by Congress in 1990 as a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization. The Foundation began its work in 1996 to facilitate groundbreaking research at the NIH and worldwide. As an independent organization, it raises private funds and creates public private partnerships to support the mission of the NIH—making important discoveries that improve health and save lives.
FDA is an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and consists of centers and offices. The FDA is responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, our nation’s food supply, cosmetics and products that emit radiation, and by regulating the manufacture, marketing and distribution of tobacco products.
The FDA also is responsible for advancing the public health by helping to speed innovations that make medicines and foods more effective, safer and more affordable; and helping the public get the accurate, science-based information they need to use medicines and foods and to reduce tobacco use to improve health.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) also is a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which is the nation’s medical research agency—making important medical discoveries that improve health and save lives.
Thanks in large part to NIH-funded medical research, Americans today are living longer and healthier. Life expectancy in the United States has jumped from 47 years in 1900 to 77 years today, and disability in people over age 65 has dropped dramatically in the past three decades. In recent years, nationwide rates of new diagnoses and deaths from all cancers combined have fallen significantly.
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country’s leading pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies, which are devoted to inventing medicines that allow patients to live longer, healthier and more productive lives. PhRMA companies are leading the way in the search for new cures. PhRMA members alone invested an estimated $45.8 billion in 2009 in discovering and developing new medicines. Industry-wide research and investment reached a record $65.3 billion in 2009.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is the federal agency that administers the Medicare, Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance programs, as well as the lead agency implementing the Affordable Care Act. CMS is charged with setting payment policies and promoting innovation that will increase health care quality, lower costs and improve the health of all Americans, ensuring that more than 100 million Americans have access to the hospital and doctors’ services, prescription medication, nursing home care and other essential services they need.
BIO is the world’s largest biotechnology organization, providing advocacy, business development and communications services for more than 1,100 members worldwide. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. Corporate members range from entrepreneurial companies developing a first product to Fortune 500 multinationals. We also represent state and regional biotech associations, service providers to the industry and academic centers. The mission of BIO is to be the champion of biotechnology and the advocate for its member organizations—both large and small.