Fifth BIO Deutschland Parliamentary Evening

On 24 February 2010, BIO Deutschland invited guests from the Bundestag and ministries to a political information evening on the topic of biotechnology. The aim of the event was to discuss how the innovation capacity of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can be strengthened during the global economic and financial crisis.

Over thirty participants had the opportunity to hear some answers to current political issues during a series of short presentations: How can Germany benefit from strengthening small and medium-sized enterprises? What advantages are there for people, the environment and the economic location if the parameters for research and development of innovative products are favourably designed? How can biotechnology bring progress and sustainability, as well as ecology and economics together?

Following a review of the sector and the current difficult parameters facing innovative biotech companies by Peter Heinrich (Chairman of the Board of BIO Deutschland), Holger Zinke (CEO of BRAIN AG) and Stefanie Heiden (Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt/German Environmental Foundation) presented concrete contributions by industrial biotechnology to the formation of a sustainable economy. Afterwards, Christian Schetter (managing director of Fresenius Biotech GmbH) described the process from the concept stage to the licensing of an innovative medication as an example of successful technology transfer. He also reviewed the obstacles facing the subsequent marketing of the product as a result of inconsistent regulations.

During the dinner that followed the presentations, members of the Bundestag, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the Federal Ministry of Health, and the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology were able to discuss the other current topics in German biotechnology with representatives of BIO Deutschland’s board, the heads of the association’s working groups, and companies from the biotech sector. Suggestions and approaches to resolving the current most urgent problems facing innovative SMEs were raised in the discussions, some of which were very intense.