Washington, July 10, 2015 -

U.S. Representative Ed Royce (R-Fullerton) released the following statement after cosponsoring and voting for passage of H.R. 6, the 21st Century Cures Act:

"This legislation is a significant step forward in finding cures to the diseases that afflict many Americans, including Alzheimer's, muscular dystrophy, ALS, and epilepsy. Streamlining FDA approval of new drugs and therapies will get these live-saving products to patients faster. More investment in the NIH ensures America remains on the cutting edge in the fight against these illnesses. Enactment of the 21st Century Cures Act means that patients and their families will be better equipped to beat these terrible diseases down the road."

There are currently 10,000 known diseases and conditions, but cures and treatments exist for only 500 of them. The bill provides an additional $10 billion to the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) innovation fund, as well as more resources for the FDA. The Cures Initiative modernizes clinical trials to expedite the development of new drugs and devices, removes regulatory uncertainty in the development of new medical apps, and breaks down barriers to facilitate increased research collaboration.

The 21st Century Cures Act permanently cuts mandatory spending and uses the savings to provide five years of dedicated funding for medical research. As a result, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projects the legislation will result in a net spending cut of about $500 million over the next decade.

The legislation passed the House of Representatives on July 10, 2015, by a bipartisan vote of 344-77.