FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 7, 2008

Contact: Erika Masonhall, 202-224-4041

Lieberman Introduces "Accelerating Cures Act of 2008"

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) today introduced legislation that would more quickly bring medical advancements from scientists' laboratories to our hospitals, pharmacies, and homes. The "Accelerating Cures Act of 2008" would improve and expedite research and development of treatments for deadly diseases by building on the existing structures, initiatives, and projects within the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

"This bill not only increases the overall Federal investment in the NIH, but it enhances the United States' translational and clinical research capacities overall," said Lieberman. "It brings together government officials, patient advocacy groups, and researchers in order to more effectively work together to bring Americans new hope that we can fight and conquer disease."

The public investment in basic science research at NIH has provided countless new discoveries and has led to new treatments and therapies for diseases that afflict millions of Americans. However, studies estimate that on average, it takes 17 years for a laboratory discovery to move from bench to bedside.

The Accelerating Cures Act aims to strengthen and promote the translational and clinical sciences, which are critical to the application of basic science discoveries to clinical care. It would accomplish this goal by creating new programs to fund high-risk, high-reward research; to oversee and direct promising avenues of translational research; to increase the translational and clinical research workforce; and to provide new funds and authorities to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of various treatments and procedures at NIH.