The calls for passage of the 21st Century Cures Act intensified this week, when Friends of Cancer Research Founder Dr. Ellen Sigal and Margolis Center for Health Policy at Duke University Director Mark McClellan joined forces to support the bill.
“The bill translates recent progress in scientific understanding of disease mechanisms, data integration and analysis, and patient engagement to streamline and speed the development of medical treatments while enabling a deeper understanding about their safety and effectiveness for particular patients," Sigal and McClellan said. "It gives the FDA and NIH needed funding, staff, and hiring flexibility to take advantage of these opportunities. These new tools to promote health also help create jobs and boost American competitiveness globally."
Introduced by U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) on May 19, 2015 in the House, the Cures bill was passed on July 10, 2015. It was then passed forward to the Senate and referred to committee on July 13, 2015.
The bill will provide funding, staff and hiring flexibility so the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can collaborate and speed the development of new treatments without compromising patient safety.
“It’s no wonder that the Cures bill has attracted rare bipartisan support," they said. "Ultimately, we cannot afford to have two of the nation’s premier public health and safety organizations operating with anything less than the best possible methods, resources and people.”
