Above: (right to left) Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb, and Hackensack Meridian Health Co-Chief Executive Officer Dr. Robert Garrett discuss cutting red-tape for pharmaceutical and medical device companies, fighting the opioid crisis, and enhancing patient care at New Jersey hospitals.

HACKENSACK, N.J. — Today, Congressman Gottheimer (NJ-5) hosted Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Dr. Scott Gottlieb for a roundtable in Hackensack with local healthcare leaders.

At Hackensack Meridian Health Hackensack University Medical Center, the group discussed cutting red-tape for pharmaceutical and medical device companies, fighting the opioid crisis, and enhancing patient care at New Jersey hospitals.

“New Jersey’s hospitals, biopharmaceuticals, life sciences, and medical device companies are of the utmost importance to our community, state, and even the country; they are among North Jersey’s largest employers.” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer. “I am proud to have the FDA Commissioner here in North Jersey, to listen to our needs and to fight for our doctors, patients, researchers, and companies. New Jersey’s seat at the table will keep jobs here, and to stop them from being sent overseas or to Moocher States.”

Life science companies and hospitals are among North Jersey’s largest employers. The Fifth District alone hosts Becton Dickinson, Stryker, Teva Zimmer Pharmaceuticals, and others. BD employees more than 1,800 New Jerseyans. Stryker Orthopedics in Mahwah adds another 1,400. Johnson & Johnson contributes $4.8 billion to New Jersey’s economy, supporting 34,400 jobs. The Hackensack Meridian Health system employs 28,000 New Jerseyans.

In January, Gottheimer voted to cut the Health Insurance Tax and the Medical Device Tax. Gottheimer opposed the Tax Hike Bill that eliminated the SALT deduction for New Jersey and developed the New Jersey Tax Cut Plan, which is currently sitting on the Governor’s desk, prepared to be signed.