21st Century Cures Act: U.S. House of Representatives Expected to Pass the $6.3 Billion Piece of Legislation

• By: Staff Editor
• Date: November 29, 2016
• Source: http://www.reuters.com

Aimed at spurring medical innovation, expanding mental health treatment, speeding up access to new drugs, and combatting opioid abuse, the bill, termed 21st Century Cures Act, promises plenty.

The legislation is said to provide $4.8 billion to the NIH (National Institutes of Health) over a period of 10 years to support research for cancer, precision medicine and other medical advances. It will also sanction $500 million to the FDA towards expediting approval of drugs and devices.

The Act also calls for $1 billion over a period of two years to treat and check opioid abuse, including refining prescription drug monitoring programs, training health care providers, and increasing access to opioid treatment programs.

Patients groups have welcomed the legislation, claiming that it would bring patient voices to the centre of the drug approval process.

The senate is set to vote on the bill, which is expected to pass with a few additional changes. President Obama will sign the bill. While President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to cut FDA red tape, he has not commented on the bill.

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