ANNAPOLIS, MD - The Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA) attended a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)–sponsored workshop to address growing concerns regarding drug shortages in certain sectors of the pharmaceutical industry September 26.

This month, Florida and California are recognizing "Plasma Protein Therapies Month," by raising awareness for the valuable contributions of plasma donors and for the rare, genetic diseases treated with the therapies that are made possible through plasma donation.

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - The Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA) welcomes the findings of the ConQuaestor report on the financing of Sanquin, the Dutch National Fractionator.

ANNAPOLIS, MD - The Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA) believes the Internal Revenue Services' issuance of temporary and proposed regulations implementing the annual pharmaceutical fee undermines patients with rare diseases and fails to take into account concerns expressed by leading consumer organizations and Congress.

ANNAPOLIS, MD - The Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA) recommends that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) take necessary steps to improve drug reimbursement under the Hospital Outpatient Perspective Payment System (OPPS).

ANNAPOLIS, MD - The Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA) applauds the introduction of bipartisan legislation, the Preserving Access to Orphan Drugs Act (H.R. 2672) and (S. 1423), which will safeguard the development of drugs and therapies that treat patients with rare diseases by eliminating barriers to innovation.

ANNAPOLIS, MD - PPTA opposes New Jersey Assembly Bill 2003 passed by the New Jersey Assembly Appropriations Committee on June 13 that imposes a new tax on therapies used to treat bleeding disorders like hemophilia.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has appointed Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA) industry expert Mary Gustafson to serve for a two-year term on its Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability (ACBSA).

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - The Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA) hosted a discussion forum at the Dutch Parliament in The Hague yesterday. The forum was attended by representatives of the Dutch Ministry of Health, Members of the Dutch Parliament, the patient community and the national manufacturer of plasma protein therapies: Sanquin.

ANNAPOLIS, MD - The Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association commends the Florida legislature for allowing Medicaid recipients to continue to receive their clotting factor and the overlay services through the agency's hemophilia disease management program, rather than forcing them to switch to a managed care plan for their therapeutic needs.