Bilirakis Praises #Cures2015 Second Discussion Draft
Press Release
Representative Gus Bilirakis, member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, today released a statement on the second version of the 21st Century Cures draft legislation. This version includes a number of provisions authored or supported by Representative Bilirakis.
Representative Gus Bilirakis, member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, today released a statement on the second version of the 21st Century Cures draft legislation. This version includes a number of provisions authored or supported by Representative Bilirakis.
"We need to find new ways to drive innovation in health care. In addition to adequately funding NIH, which is included in this draft bill, we need to think critically, to make structural changes in our health care system. It is imperative to rethink what we've been doing and how we're doing it, and this is what 21st Century Cures is giving us: an opportunity to address some of the structural barriers to new cures and new ways to incentivize developments," Bilirakis said. "This bill has the potential to save and improve the lives of tens of millions of Americans, and I am confident we will come together to get this done."
Representative Bilirakis' provisions in the legislation would:
Provide seniors with transparency in Medicare Parts A and B, by allowing seniors to better identify the out of pocket costs they might face for a given treatment or service, and site of services that is right for them and their budget; and
Establish a Safe Pharmacy Access Program, which prevents high-risk beneficiaries from abusing controlled substances. Safe Pharmacy Access Programs monitor the point of sale to prevent prescription drug abuse and drug diversion. It is a cost-saving measure utilized by private industry, TRICARE, and state Medicaid programs.
He also is an original cosponsor of a provision, authored by Representative Burgess, which would create a national data collection system for neurological diseases, including Parkinson's disease. Nearly 1 million people in the United States live with Parkinson's disease, and better data would pave the path to better treatments. Representative Bilirakis is Co-Chair of the Parkinson's Caucus, and Parkinson's Action Network has endorsed this provision.
Although this draft bill has yet to supply language for the section entitled Repurposing Drugs for Serious and Life-Threatening Diseases and Conditions, Bilirakis is hopeful this section will eventually include the Orphan Products Extension Now ~ Accelerating Cures and Treatments (OPEN ACT) Act. The OPEN ACT, authored by Congressman Bilirakis, would incentivize drugmakers and innovators to "repurpose" major market drugs for life-threatening rare diseases and pediatric cancers, opening the door to the development of hundreds of safe, effective, and affordable treatments for rare disease patients.
"There are over 7,000 rare diseases, impacting 30 million Americans -- that is nearly one in ten people. Over 95% of these diseases have no treatments, because each rare disease impacts a small number of patients. My bill will leverage the free market to incentivize drug makers to repurpose drugs to treat rare diseases. This bill can help millions of people by ensuring medications are safe and effective for rare conditions. I will continue to work with my colleagues on both side of the aisle to get this legislation included in the final 21st Century Cures bill. Thirty million lives could be saved or improved, and I will do everything I can to fight for them."
One hundred and fifty four rare disease advocacy groups support the OPEN ACT, noting that the legislation "promises to improve the quality of life for the nearly 30 million Americans suffering from rare diseases."
Congressman Bilirakis heard about the importance of repurposing drugs from participants in a local 21st Century Cures Roundtable he hosted, and has spoken about the importance of repurposing drugs at a hearing in July of 2014.
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