Press Release: Congressional Candidate Beth Krom Holds Healthcare Round Table with UCI Students

IRVINE, CA, February 19, 2010 — Congressional candidate Beth Krom (CA 48) met with graduate students from the UCI School of Medicine’s School of Social Ecology and members of the local chapter of Universities Allied for Essential Medicines (UAEM), a worldwide, student-run organization that works to increase access to basic medical technologies and to promote research for neglected diseases.

Last December, UAEM members (consisting of future doctors, lawyers and researchers from UCI’s law and medical schools) were denied a meeting with Congressman Campbell to voice their opposition to a provision within the healthcare reform bill related to biologic pharmaceuticals. The students support the development of generic biologic pharmaceuticals to allow their benefits to be extended to people in developing nations.

In short, the students are advocating against extending patents on biologic pharmaceuticals to impede the production of generic equivalents. When Beth Krom read the story, she had her campaign contact Courtney Reynolds, one of the graduate students, to express her willingness to meet with the group to hear their concerns and ideas.

“Good public policy and education go hand in hand. By meeting with these students, I gained a better understanding of their issue and was able to explore the different ways in which the interests of all stakeholders could be met.”

The meeting, which lasted a little over an hour, allowed for a frank discussion on the issue of access to pharmaceuticals and other health related issues.

For more information on the Beth Krom for Congress campaign, visit the campaign website at www.BethKrom.com

Media Inquiries:  Lori Vandermeir
213.373.1959