WASHINGTON (AP) — The House plans to vote Wednesday on a $6.3 billion bill aimed at speeding federal approval of drugs and medical devices and boosting biomedical research.
The legislation, a priority for congressional leaders in the lame-duck session, seeks to streamline how federal regulators assess the safety of new treatments and let them reach markets more quickly. It provides new money for the National Institutes of Health and Food and Drug Administration, and funding for the White House’s cancer moonshot and precision medicine initiatives.
The bill also would seek $1 billion in grants to states to fight opioid abuse.
Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee, announced details of the draft bill Saturday along with Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
Republicans said the measure was final. But aides to Democrats said negotiations were continuing.
A version of the bill previously passed the House but has been on hold for a year as Democrats and Republicans sparred over levels of NIH spending.
