Upton: We seek to provide hope to patients and families

On the day of President Barack Obama’s State of the Union Address, U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) released a statement regarding the speech and the bipartisan 21st Century Cures initiative that he supports.

“21st Century Cures is about hope,” Upton, the House Energy and Commerce Committee chairman, said. “We seek to provide hope to patients and families all across the country who are desperate for new cures and treatments. We also seek to provide hope to those who have seen Washington as a partisan city incapable of getting things done.”

Through the 21st Century Cures initiative, Upton and fellow lawmaker Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) have led discussions on the discovery, development and delivery cycle of new treatments and cures for diseases in the United States. Along the way, 21st Century Cures has reached out for the support of prominent medical leadership, including Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret Hamburg and National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins.

“As we look toward this new year and new Congress,” Upton said, “I am encouraged by the bipartisan achievements we have already made throughout the 21st Century Cures initiative and grateful for the support of top administration officials.”

Upton is requesting that President Obama consider 21st Century Cures as an area of priority for the coming year. The committee plans to release a Discussion Draft soon and plans to continue to accelerate the conversation.

“I hope that President Obama will consider joining our effort to boost jobs, ensuring the United States remains the epicenter of innovation, and help bridge the gap between the incredible advances made in science and how we in Washington actually regulate those therapies,” Upton said. “There is no issue more important to families all across the country.”