U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR) applauded President Barack Obama for signing the 21st Century Cures Act medical research and innovation initiative into law this week, a sweeping measure that won wide bipartisan support.
Walden, the incoming chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, held seven roundtable meetings with patients and health care professionals over the last two years to glean feedback on how the 21st Century Cures Act could improve people’s lives.
“All of us know someone who has fought a horrible disease like cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and multiple sclerosis,” Walden said. “This plan will help save the lives of countless patients and bring hope to their families. I’m proud that it is now the law of the land.”
Of the 10,000 known diseases in the world, there are treatments for only about 500 of them. The comprehensive bill would improve medical research and streamline the approval process for new treatments to help accelerate the discovery, development, and delivery of cures.
The 21st Century Cures Act also dedicates $1 billion to the opioid epidemic over the next two years and makes major mental health reforms.
Walden praised U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, for his work on the bill.
“None of this work would have been possible without the tireless work of Fred Upton, his staff and his partners on both sides of the aisle,” Walden said. “Millions of patients and their families owe them a debt of gratitude.”