House passes 21st Century Cures bill, funding medical research and fighting drug epidemic

[Geee]

Washington Times:

The House overwhelmingly approved a medical-innovation bill Wednesday that fast-tracks regulatory approval of groundbreaking drugs, ushers in bipartisan mental health reforms and provides $1 billion to tackle America’s prescription-painkiller and heroin epidemic.

 

The $6.3-billion package enjoys support from the White House and passed on a 392-26 vote, heaping pressure on the Senate to follow suit despite concerns from progressives who say the bill still shortchanges underfunded agencies and amounts to a “handout” for drug companies.

 

The legislation, dubbed 21st Century Cures, provides nearly $5 billion for the National Institutes of Health to accelerate research into major diseases, including $1.8 billion for Vice President Joseph R. Biden’s “moonshot” project on cancer, and $500 million for the Food and Drug Administration to make its approval process more efficient.