21st Century Cures is a new initiative that aims to accelerate the pace of cures and medical breakthroughs in the United States. Health research moves at a rapid pace, but the federal drug and device approval process is in many ways a relic of another era. Our nation has dedicated scientists and bold leaders at agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but when our laws don't keep pace with innovation, we risk falling behind. 21st Century Cures is taking a comprehensive look at what steps we can take to accelerate the pace of cures in America. Chief Deputy Whip Diana DeGette (D-CO) describes how the effort will take a broad look at the full arc of the process – from the discovery of clues in basic science, to streamlining the drug and device development process, to unleashing the power of digital medicine and social media at the treatment level.
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