21st Century Cures Act: A Boon For Drug Companies, Research Programs

NPR

Published December 7, 2016 at 12:33 PM EST

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif., left, shakes hands with Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Pa., center, and Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., right, during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016. (Susan Walsh/AP)

The Senate is expected to vote this afternoon on the 21st Century Cures Act. It is considered landmark legislation that would provide funding for research programs like Vice President Joe Biden’s moonshot against cancer.

It will also make significant changes in how drugs are tested and approved.

The act passed in the House overwhelmingly and is expected to easily pass the Senate as well.

NPR’s Richard Harris (@rrichardh) joins Here & Now‘s Jeremy Hobson to discuss what this legislation will mean for drug companies, medical research and more.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

Federal funding is gone.

Congress has eliminated all funding for public media.

That means $2.1 million per year that Connecticut Public relied on to deliver you news, information, and entertainment programs you enjoyed is gone.

The future of public media is in your hands.

All donations are appreciated, but we ask in this moment you consider starting a monthly gift as a Sustainer to help replace what’s been lost.

Donate