Ralph Neas named new head of GPhA

Ralph G. Neas, former president and CEO of the National Coalition on Health Care, was recently named as the new president and CEO of the Generic Pharmaceutical Association (GPhA) in Washington, D.C.

Neas and GPhA, which represents leading generic drug manufacturers and suppliers, recently launched an "aggressive" outreach plan to renew the organization's participation in the healthcare debate.

"Ralph is a proven national leader and consensus builder who has made a career out of working with Republicans and Democrats to forge coalitions that produce pragmatic compromises to advance the best interests of the country. He will provide GPhA with an unprecedented opportunity to expand our message, so that any discussion about reducing healthcare costs is a discussion that recognizes the billions of dollars in savings generic medications can contribute in this challenging economic climate," said Paul Bisaro, president and CEO of Watson Pharmaceuticals and chair of the GPhA board.

"Generic medications have long established themselves as a vital component in lowering our country's healthcare costs by providing patients with quality care at a lower cost. I welcome the immediate opportunity to further demonstrate the integral role generics have to play in reducing spending," Neas said.

Before leading NCHC, Neas served as president and CEO for People for the American Way. He has also served as executive director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights.

Neas has been a consistent presence in the national media and has published more than 40 articles.