Today the bipartisan leadership of the House Energy and Commerce Committee released their 2015 version of the 21st Century Cures Act, which is intended to bolster medical discovery, treatment development, and delivery of treatment to patients. The almost 200-page legislation is the product of a year of collaboration among lawmakers and stakeholders. As described by supporters, the bill would:
- Incorporate the patient perspective in the discovery, development, and delivery process
- Increase funding for the National Institutes of Health
- Foster development of treatments for patients facing serious or life-threatening diseases
- Repurpose drugs for serious or life-threatening diseases and conditions
- Modernize clinical trials
- Break down barriers to increased collaboration and data sharing among patients, researchers, providers, and innovators
- Help the development of personalized and precision medicines so the right patient can receive the right treatment at the right time
- Provide for continued work in the telehealth space
- Advance a truly interoperable health care system
- Provide clarity for developers of software products used in health management and medical care
The legislation will be the subject of a Committee hearing tomorrow.
