GPhA Announces that Kathleen Jaeger Will Leave Trade Association

WASHINGTON, May 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Generic Pharmaceutical Association today released the following statement by Paul Bisaro, GPhA Chairman of the Board and President and CEO of Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and GPhA President and CEO Kathleen Jaeger, regarding the Association's acceptance of Jaeger's resignation effective June 30, 2010:

"It is with regret that I announce that the Board of Directors of GPhA has reluctantly accepted the resignation of Kathleen Jaeger as President & CEO of our Association.  We are pleased that Ms. Jaeger will remain an advisor to GPhA through the end of 2010, and that she has agreed to work with the Association to ensure a smooth transition without interruption in our advocacy activities.  

"Kathleen joined GPhA in 2002, shortly after three separate trade associations were successfully merged into a single entity.  Under her leadership, our association was transformed into a powerful voice for our industry and for American consumers.  During her tenure, she worked with the federal government to help educate the public on the substantial benefits, safety and quality of our products.  We are particularly grateful for her unprecedented success in broadening and strengthening our relationships with consumers, businesses, labor, state and federal agencies, pharmacy benefit managers and health plan purchasers.  Our coalition work with these stakeholders has been, and will continue to be, critical to the ongoing success of our industry and our Association.  Kathleen's leadership also resulted in tremendous growth in association revenue and resources that provided a solid foundation for many of these industry's successes.

"Kathleen's many accomplishments include:

• Extensive consumer and media initiatives to better communicate the substantial value and ever-increasing contribution of generic medicines to saving consumers more than $734 billion in the last decade;
• Initiatives with FDA and others that have enhanced the understanding, availability, affordability, quality and safety of America's generic medicines;
• Legislative initiatives, large and small, including the Medicare Modernization Act, biodefense and Health Care Reform, that included components to ensure that the interests of American consumers, and their right to the timely approval of generic medicines remained paramount; and
• Advocacy initiatives to prevent free trade agreements and other international forums from institutionalizing barriers to the growth of the U.S. generic pharmaceutical industry."

"Kathleen has been an outstanding leader of GPhA.  We will miss her vision, passion and dedication.  I am pleased that she has agreed to serve as an advisor to us during the transition period.  GPhA's Board of Directors is committed to building on Kathleen's legacy, and to ensuring that Congress, state legislators, FDA, regulators, and international policy-makers continue to recognize that as our industry association, GPhA speaks with a strong, unwavering and single voice on behalf of all our members, and more important, all consumers," said Paul Bisaro  

"It has been a distinct honor to represent GPhA these past eight years and help build a strong, vibrant trade association.  I am extremely proud of the work that the GPhA team has accomplished.  Our industry has achieved many victories that have greatly contributed to improving the lives of countless Americans.  And today, despite David and Goliath comparisons, the GPhA team has tremendously enhanced the visibility and influence of the trade association and we've been successful at getting a seat at the table in critical industry debates," said Kathleen Jaeger, President and CEO of GPhA.

GPhA represents the manufacturers and distributors of finished generic pharmaceuticals, manufacturers and distributors of bulk active chemicals and suppliers of other goods and services to the generic drug industry. Generics represent 74 percent of the total prescriptions dispensed in the United States but only 22 percent of all dollars spent on prescription drugs. For more information about the industry, visit www.gphaonline.org.

SOURCE Generic Pharmaceutical Association