Senate should pass 21st Century Cures bill
Every day, millions of Americans struggle to cope with life-threatening diseases. Too many mothers and fathers have been lost to cancer, and too many children struggle with diseases like cystic fibrosis that will affect them the rest of their lives. More than 5 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s, one-third of all those over age 85.
But while we’ve made great strides in genetic research, scientific advancement has been difficult to translate into cures for the vast majority of the diseases we face. Of some 10,000 known human diseases, we can only effectively cure about 500 of them.
And though Republicans and Democrats can agree that finding cures to these diseases should be a national priority, Washington’s regulations have not kept pace with rapid advancements in research and technology. Bureaucracy and red tape has stalled development of these cures, stifling innovation and delaying patients’ ability to access new treatments.
Enter 21st Century Cures, legislation led by Chairman Fred Upton which modernizes our research infrastructure and streamlines the bureaucracy standing between us and cures for conditions like Alzheimer’s and cancer. The bill passed the House of Representatives this month with an overwhelming bipartisan vote.
The legislation increases funding for the National Institutes of Health by $10 billion over the next five years, and puts more resources into the hands of the Food and Drug Administration to speed the testing and approval of new life-saving treatments.
It expands clinical research trials, which give patients the opportunity to try exciting new medications and therapies in a safe, controlled and monitored way. This means real positive health outcomes for real people that are trying to cope with the most challenging conditions.
Life sciences research drives resources and dollars into our hospitals, educational and scientific institutions, helping them prepare the next generation of scientists and doctors. The bill will help new scientists begin careers in research and apply their skills to tackling disease. It enables scientists and caregivers to more effectively communicate, collaborate and share data on the diseases they study.
Research in cures is a good investment and by curing illnesses outright instead of treating them, we can control health care costs without depriving patients of access to critical care. The Cures legislation reduces the deficit by more than $500 million.
21st Century Cures has received widespread praise from an array of doctors, researchers, and experts in medical innovation. Dr. Francis Collins, Director of the National Institutes of Health, says he has “never seen a more exciting time” in transforming biomedi- cal research.
And it’s not just about patients — it’s a jobs issue, as well. The biopharma industry employs 80,000 Pennsylvanians. Foreign biomedical firms have chosen our area as their headquarters of their domestic operations. It’s a true economic driver for our region, and it has placed southeastern Pennsylvania alongside Boston and Silicon Valley at the heart of American medical innovation. Expanding biomedical research will bring more of these high-paying jobs in our region.
The overwhelming support for 21st Century Cures proves an important point: Even today, in the midst of bitter partisanship and Washington dysfunction, Republicans and Democrats can still come together to find solutions to address the great challenges we face as a nation.
America has what it takes to tackle diseases like cancer. We’ve made great progress already. But we can no longer afford to let an outdated Washington bureaucracy slow down the effort. The 21st Century Cures legislation passed by the House sends an unmistakable message that curing these conditions is a nonpartisan, national priority for all of us. I urge the Senate to act quickly on its passage and the president to sign it into law.