Vanessa Burrows is Counsel in the Firm’s Corporate Department and is based in the Washington, D.C. office. Vanessa has advised pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers, healthcare and technology companies, hospitals and other providers in connection with regulatory and compliance needs, as well as in connection with M&A and capital-raising transactions. Vanessa has extensive experience counseling clients with respect to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance, health privacy, security and breach issues, fraud and abuse compliance, pharmacy law, cannabis and hemp laws, and public health matters, including medical countermeasures.
Previously, Vanessa held several government positions focused on healthcare regulation. Her experience includes serving as HIPAA Privacy Officer and Attorney for the Department of Public Health for the City of Chicago. Vanessa also advised Members of Congress and their staff on FDA matters as a Legislative Attorney with the Congressional Research Service. She handled healthcare law, administrative law and constitutional law matters during the creation and passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the 2009 H1N1 pandemic.
Vanessa’s recent experience includes the representation of:
- PPD in its $1.863 billion IPO and in its $17.4 billion acquisition by Thermo Fisher Scientific
- Microsoft in its $19.7 billion acquisition of Nuance
- Bright Health Group in its $924.3 million IPO
- Change Healthcare in its proposed $13.8 billion acquisition by UnitedHealth Group
- Underwriters/initial purchasers in the $6 billion debt offering by CVS Health, $5.25 billion debt offering by Philip Morris International, $5 billion notes offering by Roche, $2.25 billion debt offering by AstraZeneca, $1.25 billion debt offering by Humana and follow-on equity offering by Nuvalent, Inc.
- BlackRock Long Term Private Capital in its announced acquisition of a minority interest in Transaction Data Systems
- Patricia Industries and Sarnova in Sarnova’s acquisition and simultaneous combination of Digitech and the R1 RCM Inc. EMS business
- Waystar in its acquisitions of eSolutions and Patientco
- CSL Behring in the formation of the CoVIg-19 Plasma Alliance, and its acquisitions of Vitaeris and the exclusive global license rights to commercialize an adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy program
- EQT IX fund and funds affiliated with the private equity business within Goldman Sachs Asset Management in their $8.5 billion acquisition of Parexel from Pamplona Capital Management LP
- Certara in its $768.5 million IPO
- Silver Lake in its investment in Root Inc., closed concurrently with Root Inc.’s IPO
- Underwriters in the IPOs of Signify Health, Sotera Heath, InnovAge, Bioventus and Frequency Therapeutics
Experience prior to joining the Firm includes advising:
- Medical device manufacturers on FDA inspections, warning letters, import alerts and detentions, clinical trial regulations, communications regarding investigational and marketed devices, and product development, labeling and claims
- Pharmaceutical manufacturers on off-label promotion, codes of conduct, gift and entertainment policies, drug shortages and patient assistance programs
- Investors, advisors, consultants, hospital and health systems, and manufacturers on FDA, DOJ, DEA, USDA, and state laws, regulations and guidance on hemp, cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabis products
- A multinational technology company and applicable manufacturers on the Open Payments provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, implementing federal regulations and state transparency and disclosure laws
- Compounding pharmacies in connection with FDA and state inspections and laws related to dispensing and distribution
- Clients on anti-kickback, compliance, and scope of practice issues identified in the course of regulatory due diligence
- Healthcare company and health plan on change of control notices and requirements for state licenses
- Academic medical centers on federal controlled substances research
- Health plans, providers, business associates, and subcontractors on breaches, federal and state investigations, audits, risk assessments and requests for information
- Investors, asset managers, insurers, health plans and providers on HIPAA/Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) regulations and guidance related to workforce members, business associate agreements, training, minors, marketing, data use agreements, data security and ransomware
- Pharmaceutical, medical device, health information technology (HIT) companies on regulatory due diligence
Vanessa regularly writes for industry publications and has spoken at events including the Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI)’s Introduction to Drug Law and Regulation, Seton Hall Legislative Journal Spring 2022 symposium, the American Health Law Association (AHLA) Academic Medical Centers and Teaching Hospitals Law Institute, and an AHLA webinar on specialty drugs co-sponsored by the Life Sciences and Payers, Plans, and Managed Care practice groups. Vanessa recently authored an article in Journal of Health Care Law and Policy titled, “Cannabis Considerations for Health Care Entities.” She also co-authored an article titled, “2 Bills Reflect Gov’t Interest In Health PE Investments,” which was published by Law360.
Vanessa is a member of Law360’s 2022 Health Care Editorial Advisory Board. She currently serves on the Food and Drug Law Institute’s Publications Peer Review Committee and is a member of the American University Washington College of Law (AUWCL) Health Law and Policy Program Alumni Advisory Council. She will also serve as a Leader on the American Health Law Association’s Fundamentals of Health Law Program Planning Committee. She served as a judge for the AUWCL’s National Health Law Writing Competition in 2021 and 2022. Vanessa has also served on the FDLI’s Webinar Committee and as the Vice Chair of Member Engagement for the AHLA’s Women’s Leadership Council.
Vanessa received her J.D., cum laude, from American University, Washington College of Law, an M.A., with honors, from Queen’s University Belfast, and a B.A., magna cum laude, from Valparaiso University. She is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and Illinois.