Doctors, Biotech Leaders, and Policymakers Gather to Discuss Roadblocks to Innovation and Advancing the 21st Century Cures Initiative
Boston, MA (PRWEB) August 25, 2014 -- The Manhattan Institute (MI) and its Project FDA, in partnership with the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development, will host the first in a series of public discussions about the reforms necessary to accelerate patient access to life-saving treatments, lower the cost of developing and delivering better treatments, and maintain America’s place as the world leader in bio-innovation. Future events will take place in other leading biotech hubs, including San Francisco and San Diego, CA.
Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach, former FDA commissioner and chairman of MI's Project FDA, will convene key policymakers, patient advocates, academics, and industry experts on August 25 at the Tufts University School of Medicine for a series of panels. Panel topics will include Congress’ 21st Century Cures Initiative, building a better framework for approving new medicines, and using big data to support patient-centered innovation. Panel participants include Rep. Michael Burgess, (TX-26); Dr. Kenneth Kaitin, director and professor, Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development; Dr. Phillip Sharp, Nobel laureate and professor, MIT; and Jeff Allen, PhD, executive director, Friends of Cancer Research.
Biotech leaders participating include Nick Leschly, president and CEO, Bluebird Bio; Alan Eisenberg, vice president, federal government relations, Celgene; Robert Popovian, senior director, advocacy & professional relations, Pfizer; and Ketan Paranjape, worldwide director of health and life sciences, Intel.
Paul Howard, senior fellow at MI and member of Project FDA, said, “The current drug development paradigm is breaking down – it’s just too expensive and time-consuming. The Manhattan Institute’s Project FDA is focused on helping regulators, companies, patient advocates, and policymakers create a more predictable, transparent, and efficient pathway for bringing safe and effective new therapies to patients.”
“My colleague Peter Huber’s new book, The Cure in the Code, outlines a roadmap for advancing medicine and drug regulation into the 21st Century. What we need to do now is move from vision to reality. Thankfully, Congress’s bipartisan 21st Century Cures Initiative is working to do just that,” Howard added.
The Manhattan Institute is a think tank whose mission is to develop and disseminate new ideas that foster greater economic choice and individual responsibility. Under the leadership of Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach, Project FDA is a Manhattan Institute initiative that aims to help the FDA develop the tools it needs to meet 21st century challenges.
Date: Monday August 25, 2:00 - 4:45 p.m. ET
Panel participants and schedule: http://www.manhattan-institute.org/events/mi-08-25-14.htm
Location: Tufts University School of Medicine, Jaharis Family Center, 150 Harrison Avenue, Room 150, Boston, MA 02111
Audrey Mullen, +1 (202) 270-2772, [email protected]
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