Long Island Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) recently highlighted the importance of the Cures effort. In a column in the Long Island Exchange, Zeldin underscores that H.R. 6, the 21st Century Cures Act, will “boost the field of personalized medicine, tailoring treatment to patients’ needs." This is a critical component to the discovery, development, and delivery of new treatments and cures for patients. We must make 21st century precision medicine patient-centered by personalizing medication, and ensuring patients are treated based on their unique characteristics. The momentum continues to build in the effort to deliver #CuresNow.
Funding Research to Deliver Life-Saving Cures
By Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY)
(Long Island, NY) In the 21st Century, we must boldly advance our research to create the next generation of cures and deliver hope to those suffering from various diseases, both rare and wide spread.
Cancer, Parkinson’s, Diabetes, Kidney Disease, and Multiple Sclerosis are just some of the many diseases that touch all of our lives, however, according to the National Institutes of Health, there are currently 10,000 known diseases, with 7,000 of these identified diseases or disorders considered to be “rare." Rare diseases affect 200,000 people or less, but collectively affect more than 300 million people across the world.
Right now, out of all of the identified diseases, there is only a treatment for 500 of them, leaving millions of Americans and their families suffering.
In Congress, one of my highest priorities is funding research to provide the resources necessary to discover the next generation of treatment and deliver lifesaving or life improving cures.
Last year, the House of Representatives passed the 21st Century Cures Act (H.R. 6), bipartisan legislation that I cosponsor in Congress to improve and modernize our nation’s healthcare. This legislation would accelerate the process for scientific advancement, while providing desperately needed research funding. The 21st Century Cures Act would remove barriers preventing research collaboration, increasing researchers’ access to essential data from previous research and clinical studies. The legislation secures $10 billion for the National Institutes of Health, which would provide additional research and development resources for Stony Brook University Research Center, Brookhaven National Laboratory, and other research laboratories right here on Long Island. The legislation would also boost the field of personalized medicine, tailoring treatment to patients’ needs. Among other important aspects of the bill, the 21st Century Cures Act would ensure our region remains a leader in the medical industry field, keeping research jobs here on Long Island. As a key piece of legislation for the health of residents on our island and across the nation, paving the way for healthcare innovation in the United States, we must continue working this year to get the 21st Century Cures Act signed into law. …
Read the entire column online HERE.
