Conference Presentation, Panel
Accelerating Medical Research: The Bipartisan Quest for Cures
Milken InstituteMargaret Anderson, Bob Hugin, Francis Collins, Mike Milken, Sara Radcliffe, Joe Barton
- Margaret Anderson anticipates the upcoming three-day conference will be action-packed, with the International Ballroom unavailable during panel breaks, resulting in crowded alternative rooms.
- The session on accelerating medical research is expected to be critical to the future of humanity, aiming to ensure all attendees leave with actionable "to-do" items rather than viewing issues as someone else's responsibility.
- Immediate substantive investment in biomedical research is projected as essential to prevent the financial undermining of developed societies caused by the high costs of caring for an aging population with Alzheimer's, metabolic disease, and cancer.
- Bob Hugin warns that consequences of failing to accelerate research investment are real and cannot be deferred for 10 to 15 years, noting that delaying Alzheimer's onset by two years over the next 12 could save the health system $200 billion annually.
- Francis Collins predicts a continuation of the downward slide in NIH funding unless translated into action, a trend that would cause young scientists to lose heart, face longer grant delays, and reduce the workforce's youthfulness.
- Economic benefits of a 1% annual reduction in cancer death rates are valued at $500 billion per year, while Alzheimer's disease costs are expected to rise as the baby boomer generation ages.
- Francis Collins plans to develop a stewardship and reform plan this year to ensure NIH dollars are spent wisely, expecting the Common Fund and Congressional support to free resources for high-risk, high-use research.
- Mike Milken expects countries committed to bioscience investments to lead globally across air, water, agriculture, defense, and energy sectors in the 21st century, while warning that lack of investment in American scientists could cause talent to migrate or shift fields.
- China's commitment of $300 billion over six years ($50 billion annually) is predicted to alter the course of the global bioscience race.
- Mike Milken intends to advocate for university leaders to direct contributions specifically toward young scientists in their 30s and plans to issue a call to action for donors to redirect funds accordingly.
- Sara Radcliffe expects the 21st Century Cures Initiative to produce legislation removing NIH research challenges, including travel restrictions and grant-making process issues, while reauthorizing the Prescription Drug User Fee Act will likely discuss accelerating medical research.
- Governor Brown's $3 million initiative is anticipated to shape a future precision medicine initiative potentially reaching the $200 million range.
- Bob Hugin hopes the 21st Century Cures legislation will be passed to demonstrate the system's ability to eliminate friction, serve as an enduring legacy of U.S. action, and foster a sense of hope regarding bipartisan collaboration.
- Congressman Joe Barton expects a draft of the 21st Century Cures bill to be released within a day, with a hearing scheduled for Thursday and a likely passage in the current Congress resulting in a White House bill signing within the next year.
- Involvement of patient groups and advocacy communities is expected to secure increased authority and flexibility for Dr. Collins at the NIH.
- Margaret Anderson expects participants to join Faster Cures to remain engaged and avoid being passive bystanders, emphasizing that people's lives can change in days or weeks.
- Francis Collins plans to immediately design a precision medicine initiative involving a cohort of one million or more volunteers, building a long-term research foundation using real-world data, mobile health applications, and low-cost genomic analysis.
- Sara Radcliffe warns that disease advocates focusing solely on funding for specific diseases without supporting a diverse basic science portfolio are acting detrimentally, while the Accelerating Medicines Partnership is expected to empower the enterprise by making data available to all.
- Mike Milken expects that accelerating approaches to life-threatening diseases with no known solutions could open a different path to cures.