Blackburn Advances Initiatives to Encourage Health Innovation

Press Release

Energy and Commerce Committee Vice Chair Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) today continued her work to encourage healthcare innovation and improve the lives of Americans through 21st Century Cures Act, which was unanimously approved by the committee.

"We have all been affected by a challenging health condition in some way -- whether we've faced a diagnosis ourselves or have stood by a loved one's side as they battled through it. That is why we've embraced a focused vision of improving lives through our cures strategy," Blackburn said. "I am pleased with the work we've done at the Energy and Commerce Committee in this bipartisan effort to rally the nation and its creative minds around an unwavering commitment to finding cures that will enable people to live better, healthier lives."

Included in 21st Century Cures are several pieces of legislation authored by Congressman Blackburn -- H.R. 2396, Sensible Oversight for Technology which Advances Regulatory Efficiency (SOFTWARE) Act; H.R. 2435, the Reagan-Udall Foundation Reauthorization; and H.R. 2436, the Children Count Act.

The SOFTWARE Act, which Blackburn authored with Representative Gene Green (R-TX) would categorize health IT based upon the level of risk and create regulatory certainty for innovators by removing the lowest risk software from the purview of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

"At the core of the promise of 21st Century Cures is technology ---- technology that will bring new therapies and treatments to doctors and their patients," said Blackburn. "Brilliant minds across the nation are developing software that will change the face of medicine. Health care innovation is happening at lightening speed, but our laws are not keeping pace. Our SOFTWARE legislation will help bring the nation's regulatory framework into the 21st century so innovation may flourish and we might speed these changes along."

Blackburn joined Representative Lois Capps (D-CA) in sponsoring the Children Count Act that would direct the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to ensure children are appropriately considered for NIH-funded studies.

"Research is crucial to finding cures and we must ensure our children receive the benefit of these studies," Blackburn said. "The children of today represent the future of tomorrow. By improving their lives through this legislation, they'll have the best opportunity to grow up strong and healthy."

Source