BIO hails Obama R&D national vision

The US Biotechnology Industry Organization has hailed President Barack Obama's call for a national target of 3% of the nation's Gross Domestic  Product to be spent on scientific R&D. Jim Greenwood, the BIO's  president and chief executive, said: "America's biotechnology community  thanks Pres Obama for setting this ambitious goal. As the President  said: 'science is more essential for our prosperity, our security, our  health, our environment and our quality of life than it has ever been.'  We couldn't agree more."

Mr Greenwood emphasized the 1.3 million people employed in the US  bioscience sector, arguing that "our industry can help drive economic  growth in innovation industries," including  pharmaceuticals.