Source: NPR
Congress was set to vote on Wednesday on a 996-page bill that would fast-track approval for new medicine and medial devices.
The legislation includes quicker access to a particular medical drug that has already been used for other related diseases, without entering a laborious and lengthy approval. Critics of the new legislation are saying that the lengthy bill cannot be approved without careful consideration, and furthermore fast-tracking approval of new drugs could result in serious consequences for patients.
Included in the new legislation are several provisions to direct billions toward medical research, at least $6.3 billion for bio-medical research specifically.
Several thousands of lobbyists are supporting the measure on behalf of medical device companies, pharmacies and patient groups, as reported by NPR.
Read full story at: NPR