ASBM recently showed support for the World Health Organization’s (WHO) draft Biological Qualifier (BQ) proposal by submitting comments to the WHO. ASBM and 14 of its members submitted comments on the BQ proposal released in July 2014, saying it is an encouraging step toward a naming system that will increase safety for patients around the world and that ASBM believes it is an achievable one.

The BQ proposal would assign a four-letter alphabetic code at random to a biological active substance manufactured at a specific site. The WHO proposal outlined a plan for the use of BQ’s as a way to resolve the nomenclature issues worldwide, ensuring clear product identification and promoting manufacturer accountability.

Read the letter here.

ASBM Members who submitted comments include the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, International Cancer Advocacy Network, Global Healthy Living Foundation, Kidney Cancer Association, Global Colon Cancer Association, Alliance for Patient Access, American Academy of Dermatology, Zero – the End of Prostate Cancer, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Psoriasis Foundation, Health HIV, American Association for People with Disabilities, Colon Cancer Alliance and RetireSafe.