Global health event highlights South Carolina’s growing role in life sciences

U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson recognized by the Shot@Life campaign for his longtime leadership in supporting global polio eradication and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance

South Carolina’s growing role in global health and life sciences took center stage at a recent gathering in Columbia that brought together business leaders, health advocates, researchers and public officials while recognizing U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson for his longtime support of global vaccination efforts.

The Global Health Celebration, hosted by Shot@Life, a United Nations Foundation campaign, was held Aug. 19 at the General Federation of Women’s Clubs of South Carolina headquarters in Columbia. The event highlighted South Carolina’s contributions to global health and recognized Wilson for his support of global polio eradication and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

Shot@Life works to educate and mobilize Americans to advocate for global childhood immunization programs and the funding needed to deliver vaccines around the world. The campaign began more than a decade ago with a particular focus on protecting children under age 5 from vaccine-preventable diseases including polio, measles, rotavirus and pneumococcal disease.

Over time, that mission has broadened to include the global health infrastructure needed to deliver vaccines and respond to infectious diseases. The organization supports efforts involving Gavi and other global health partners while training grassroots advocates across the country to communicate with members of Congress about global health funding.

Rebecca Maxie, Director of Grassroots Advocacy for Shot@Life, said one of the campaign’s goals is to help Americans understand that global health is also a local issue.

Diseases can move quickly across borders, she said, making strong vaccination programs and health systems important not only for populations overseas but also for health security in the United States.

“We have champions on both sides of the aisle because they just know that global health makes sense and it protects Americans,” Maxie said.

Shot@Life has also increasingly focused on showing members of Congress the economic connections between global health and their own states, including companies and jobs involved in developing, manufacturing and delivering health care products.

Maxie said she was surprised by the size of South Carolina’s life sciences industry and the level of collaboration among companies and organizations in the state.

James Chappell, president and CEO of SCbio, said South Carolina’s life sciences sector has experienced 83% job growth over the past decade and is among the fastest-growing life sciences industries in the country.

The industry encompasses a broad range of activities, including research, drug discovery, commercialization, manufacturing and medical devices.

Chappell pointed to recent investments as evidence of the sector’s momentum, including a $1.5 billion investment in York County expected to create 1,500 jobs. He also highlighted companies using artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies to accelerate drug discovery and potentially reduce the cost and time required to bring new treatments to market.

“What wakes me up and gets me out of bed in the day is the fact that we are more and more as a state a part of the next medical breakthrough,” Chappell said.

Ashley Teasdale of the South Carolina Department of Commerce said life sciences has become an important component of the state’s economic development strategy.

Teasdale said average salaries in the sector exceed $100,000, about 70% higher than South Carolina’s average wage. She said continued growth depends on collaboration among state government, universities, businesses, nonprofits and industry organizations.

The event also recognized Wilson’s longstanding involvement in efforts to eradicate polio.

Rotary International launched its global polio eradication effort in 1985, when there were approximately 350,000 cases in 125 countries. Speakers at the event credited Wilson with repeatedly helping secure federal support for the international effort.

Wilson said he remembers seeing people affected by polio while growing up in Charleston and described the progress against the disease as one of the great achievements in public health.

He also praised South Carolina businesses, organizations and individuals for contributing to efforts that improve health around the world.

“I’m just so grateful that South Carolina has such a positive role in assisting the people of the world to have a level of improved health,” Wilson said.

For Shot@Life, building that connection between communities, businesses and policymakers is central to its strategy. Maxie said the campaign has developed a diverse network of advocates in every state, ranging from students and retirees to teachers, nurses, business leaders, faith leaders and members of the military.

The goal is to demonstrate that global health is not limited to one political party, profession or part of the country.

“We have a big tent that people can join,” Maxie said.

And the message from the Columbia gathering was that South Carolina increasingly has a place under that tent — not only through advocacy and public policy, but through an expanding life sciences industry helping develop the technologies, products and treatments that can improve and save lives around the world.