U.S. Rep. Michael C. Burgess (R-TX) discussed the importance of the 21st Century Cures initiative on Wednesday in response to the release of the initial discussion document outlining proposals within the medical legislation.
“As a physician, my mission first and foremost is to find methods and treatments that will help alleviate human pain and suffering,” Burgess, who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade, said. “Our 21st Century Cures initiative is one of the most comprehensive legislative concepts the Energy and Commerce Committee has ever taken on.”
The initiative will review in detail what Congress can do to speed up the development of medical cures in America. It examines the entire process of developing treatment options, from diagnosis to research and implementation. The goal is to bring in the benefit of the dynamic advances in science and technology, keeping America ahead of the rest of the world in innovative quality medicine.
The program is of particular importance to Burgess, who introduced 10 of the measures outlined in the document, including three just last week.
“I am pleased that the projects I have worked on – such as neurological research legislation, access to materials for physicians and interoperability standards for electronic health records – are part of this effort,” Burgess said.