By: Cornerstone Government Affairs

As you manage how meetings have changed in the age of COVID-19, consider these best practices as you connect with policymakers in the age of COVID-19:

Before the Meeting

  • Email materials that you will use during the meeting, such as one-pagers, one day in advance. Make sure you have the materials handy during the meeting so you can resend them if necessary.
  • Know your technology. Especially with video, different platforms have different features. Do a test run with your team so everyone feels comfortable.
  • Establish your speaking order. Interruptions are the bane of socially distanced meetings, especially by phone. Limit them by planning ahead and knowing who will speak when.
  • Join the video/call a few minutes before the meeting is scheduled to begin to work out any technical issues.
  • Seek explicit permission from the official or staffer with whom you are meeting if you want to record the call or video.

During the Meeting

  • Begin by having everyone introduce themselves. It’s basic etiquette and also serves as a sound check.
  • Be present. It’s easy to get distracted when you’re not meeting face to face. Distance yourself from pets, children and any phone or computer screens that aren’t necessary for the meeting.
  • Mute yourself when you’re not speaking and remind others to do the same.
  • Remember to state your name each time you begin to speak.
  • Get to the point and keep the meeting short. There are no more handshakes, no more settling into seats around a table. If your typical in-person meeting lasted about 20 minutes, plan on 15 minutes for your typical phone/video meeting.

Special Tips for Phone Meetings

  • Use a script! No one can see if you’re reading from a computer screen or piece of paper, so use that to your advantage. Script out “asks” and answers to difficult questions. Use a script to facilitate smooth transitions between speakers.
  • Make sure you don’t sound scripted. Read your script aloud to yourself first. If it doesn’t sound natural, rewrite and keep practicing.
  • You won’t have the benefit of body language or nonverbal cues on the phone. Try to maximize engagement by avoiding long monologues and building in occasional breaks to ask if the staffer has any questions. If you’re using a script, designate in writing where to take a pause.

Special Tips for Video Meetings

  • Use basic tricks of the trade to present yourself in the best possible way visually:
  • Raise your webcam to eye level
  • Light your foreground, so your face is not silhouetted
  • Don’t be Will Reeve; wear pants
  • If using a virtual background, it should strike the appropriate tone
  • If using a physical background (such as a home office), remove anything distracting or use the “blur” feature available on some platforms
  • Keep it simple, and don’t use more technology than you need. You probably won’t use many features built into video conferencing platforms in most advocacy meetings with staffers or elected officials. Know what you want to say and who will say it, and stick to your plan.

Staffers may prefer to talk by phone rather than video. Don’t take it personally. Elected officials, on the other hand, may prefer video. Traditional retail politicking is more challenging these days; video is the next best thing. Either way, be gracious. These are new and trying times for everyone, and elected officials’ offices are juggling countless asks and constituent needs while adjusting to this new normal. Be sure to thank them for their time and attention.

Georgia Life Sciences Designates City of Atlanta as Newest BioReady® Community

By Sheran Brown • February 21, 2025
Georgia Life Sciences Designates City of Atlanta as Newest BioReady® Community

Bipartisan PBM Reform Back in Focus as House Committee Plans Hearing

By Sheran Brown • February 20, 2025
A renewed push for prescription drug cost reform is gaining momentum in Congress, with the House Energy and Commerce Committee's health subcommittee planning a hearing on pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reform for late February. The hearing, to be led by Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.), signals a revival of bipartisan efforts to regulate these pharmaceutical intermediaries. PBMs, which negotiate drug prices for insurers and employers, have become a focal point in the broader discussion of healthcare costs. A previous bipartisan agreement to regulate these entities was crafted by Carter and Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) in the last Congress, though it ultimately stalled when the larger spending bill it was attached to faced opposition. The reform efforts enjoy broad support from both parties and the president, making it one of the few areas with potential for bipartisan cooperation. However, new complications have emerged as Republicans consider using PBM regulations to generate savings for their broader policy agenda, potentially requiring up to $880 billion in cost reductions. The path forward remains uncertain, with ongoing debates about whether such reforms would qualify for budget reconciliation and whether using PBM regulations as a funding mechanism could derail bipartisan cooperation. Meanwhile, stakeholders continue to disagree on the impact of additional PBM regulation, with pharmaceutical companies arguing that PBMs inflate drug costs while PBMs contend that new regulations would increase prices.

Council on State Biotechnology Associations says NIH funds are a critical component of innovation ecosystem

By Sheran Brown • February 20, 2025
The Council of State Biotechnology Associations (CSBA) has issued a strong warning about proposed cuts to National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding, emphasizing the critical role these grants play in America's biotech innovation ecosystem. The statement, below , comes amid concerns over recent guidance that would reduce NIH funding to key research institutions. ----------------------- “Today, the US biotech industry employs nearly 2.3 million people across the US and is making positive contributions to economic impact and national security across all 50 states. In fact, for every dollar the National Institutes of Health (NIH) contributes to a successful drug, the private sector invests over $65, underscoring the agency’s unparalleled return on investment. As the associations representing the bioscience industry across the nation, the Council on State Biotechnology Associations (CSBA) is concerned by recent guidance that would cut funding provided by the NIH to universities, hospitals, and other institutions that perform critical early-stage research. NIH grant funds are a critical component of our innovation ecosystem. Grants for basic research are the spark that leads to university-driven discoveries, with public-private partnerships and tech transfers that bridge early-stage research to industry-sponsored drug development and ultimately to FDA approved medical advances for hundreds of diseases. While the administration looks for greater efficiency in the use of taxpayer dollars, it cannot be overstated - once scientific innovation moves abroad, it may never return. In the race for scientific innovation around the world, as our adversaries continue to increase government investments in research, we encourage President Trump to follow suit and ensure that we maintain our global leadership in an industry that was created and thrives across the US.”
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