Longtime pharma advocate returns to PhRMA as EVP advocacy

WASHINGTON – The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America on Tuesday announced that Rodger Currie will join the association as EVP advocacy. He will lead federal, state and international government affairs and alliance development.

 

Currie returns to PhRMA on Feb. 1, 2016. 

 

A recognized leader in government relations and health care, Currie has advocated on behalf of patient groups, physicians, hospitals and the life sciences industry. Currie most recently served as chief of government affairs at the American Psychiatric Association. He was also a partner at a D.C. law firm. For more than a decade, he worked in the pharmaceutical industry: at Amgen, Currie served as VP global government affairs, working for passage of the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act of 2009, which became law as part of the Affordable Care Act; and he was SVP government affairs and law at PhRMA during the multi-year effort to pass and implement Medicare Part D.

 

“Rodger’s breadth of experience and proven track record of success will be an invaluable addition to the PhRMA team as we seek to improve patients’ access to care and foster the continued development of new treatments and cures for patients,” stated Stephen Ubl, PhRMA president and CEO.

 

Currie has a long record of working across party lines and collaborating with stakeholders across health care. For more than 10 consecutive years, The Hill newspaper named him a top lobbyist.

 

“The work of this industry is a passion of mine, and I’m excited to be coming home to PhRMA to help Steve Ubl bring the strongest possible advocacy for patients, innovation and cures. Steve brings energy and vision to the work we do and I am enthusiastic about joining his team,” Currie said. 

 

Prior to PhRMA, Currie served as majority health counsel to House Energy & Commerce Chairman Tom Bliley. R-Va. During that time, he was counsel of record on the development and passage of the FDA Modernization Act of 1997 and the Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP provisions of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. 

 

Currie holds B.A. and J.D. degrees from Georgetown University.