ARIZONA BIOINDUSTRY ASSOCIATION
PIONEERING INNOVATIONS By JOAN KOERBER-WALKER
T
he pace of medical innovation is accelerating around the world and right here in Arizona. Biomedical innovators are pioneering in the fields of diagnostics, treatments, medical devices, and health technologies. The world waited and watched as the first COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines moved from the lab, into the development process, and then, upon emergency use authorization, to the people who needed them. For those who were waiting, it was a long and at times heartbreaking process when the innovation did not arrive in time. For the pioneers who were developing new health solutions and pathways, things were moving at a breakneck pace. This unprecedented speed was possible thanks to decades of previous
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investments in research and development that were leveraged to build these new solutions. At the same time, due to the rapidly spreading virus, clinical trials were able to reach statistical relevance in record time because, tragically, people at risk for infection, affected patients, and the SARS-CoV-2 virus were everywhere. Past investments pay off Over two decades ago, people in Arizona committed to investing to build our state’s bioscience and healthcare sector. Arizonans kept that commitment through good times and challenging times. The result is today’s hospital systems, private research institutes, universities, and medical schools. We trained, attracted, and retained our talent base, growing our workforce
