21st Century Cures Act Passes House and Senate

21^st Century Cures Act Passes House and Senate

The 21^st Century Cures Act, a bill that will spur innovative  research, streamline and modernize drug research and approval,  and increase the budgets of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), passed the Senate Wednesday, December 7, by a vote of 94-5.  This bipartisan vote follows the House vote last week, which passed the bill by 392-26.  As part of the increase in funding for the NIH, the bill also includes $1.8 billion over the next 10 years for the Cancer Moonshot Initiative.

In order to pay for these funding increases to the NIH and the FDA, 21^st Century Cures will divert some funds from the Prevention and Public Health Fund, an action the Prevent Cancer Foundation® stood firmly against.  Though we are disappointed that funds will be taken from the Prevention and Public Health Fund, the passage of the 21^st Century Cures Act is a positive step in increasing health funding to find improved ways to prevent and treat cancer in the coming years.

The21^st Century Cures Act demonstrates that there is still broad bipartisan support for medical research and cancer prevention.  The Prevent Cancer Foundation® applauds the passage and looks forward to President Obama’s signature in the coming days, enacting the provisions in the bill into law.

To speak with a Prevent Cancer Foundation® representative about the 21^st Century Cures Act and its implications, please contact Lisa Berry, Director of Communications, at 703-519-2107 or Lisa.Berry@preventcancer.org.