The Cures Acceleration Network (CAN) Act

CAN Act News:

Autism Speaks Hails Senator Arlen Spector’s Planned Introduction Of The Cures Acceleration Network Act

Legislation Would Dramatically Boost NIH Funding and Establish New Federal Agency Focused on Bridging the Wide Gap Between Scientific Discovery and Treatments for Diseases and Disorders

NEW YORK, NY (April 25, 2009) – Autism Speaks, the nation’s largest autism science and advocacy organization, today applauded Senator Arlen Specter’s (R-PA) announcement that he would introduce the Cures Acceleration Network (CAN) Act, groundbreaking legislation focused on accelerating the process of moving the most promising research discoveries from the lab bench to the bedside. Senator Specter, who outlined CAN in a speech in Chicago today, plans to introduce the bill in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday.

The CAN Act would reauthorize the National Institutes of Health (NIH) at a new baseline funding level of $40 billion per year, in essence making recently-added stimulus funds a permanent part of the NIH budget. The second major aspect of the bill is the creation of a new, independent federal agency, the Cures Acceleration Network, specifically tasked with more quickly translating research discoveries into practical medical applications.

“This legislation will create the urgency we desperately need at the federal level to push science toward real impact on people’s lives,” said Geraldine Dawson, PhD, Autism Speaks Chief Science Officer. “In the area of autism research, in particular, much needs to be done to translate important discoveries into treatments and therapies that can help individuals living with autism today.”

“Senator Specter’s important legislation deserves the enthusiastic support of anyone who has been affected, directly or indirectly, by autism, cancer, diabetes and the other terrible diseases of our time,” said Bob Wright, Autism Speaks co-founder. “Now is the time to redouble our federal government’s commitment to science and innovation in the search for better treatments and cures”... Read more and post a comment

Summary of the Cures Acceleration Network (CAN) Act:

Sponsored by Senator Arlen Specter (PA)

The CAN Act has two principal components:

• A reauthorization of the National Institutes of Health at a new baseline funding level of $40billion per year – incorporating the stimulus funds into the permanent budget of the NIH. --
  
  "We must do this in order to avoid creating a cliff off of which promising research, funded by the stimulus, would otherwise fall, if no additional funds were provided. We must also do this because for the last seven years the cost of living adjustments required for NIH work to keep pace with inflation have not been met, leading to a net actual decline of more than $5billion per year in funding and associated across the board cuts in research." - Senator Specter

• The creation of a new, independent, federal agency – The Cures Acceleration Network (CAN) – authorized to spend $2billion in its first year and designed to do what the name says.
  
  • CAN will make awards outside of traditional funding streams, to accelerate the development of cures and treatments including, but not limited, to drugs, devices, and behavioral therapies.
  • CAN will have a flexible and expedited review process to get monies into the hands of the grantees as quickly as possible. These funds will complement the NIH, not compete or take funds from the NIH.
  • CAN will fund two types of grant awards, each authorized at $1billion in the first fiscal year.
  • The Cures Acceleration Grant Awards will provide funds to applicants who do not have access to private matching funds and the Cures Acceleration Partnership Awards, requiring a match of three federal dollars to one grantee dollar.
  • Eligible grantees would include biotech companies, Universities, patient advocacy organizations, pharmaceutical companies and research institutions.
  • To provide for expedited FDA approval, the grantees will establish protocols to meet regulatory requirements at all stages of medical product development, review and approval.
  • CAN grant proposals will be evaluated by a distinguished twenty-four member board, representing a broad range of disciplines, including – venture capitalists and businessmen with experience in technology companies; scientists with expertise in basic science, clinical medicine, drug discovery and delivery, gene therapy and medical instrumentation and representatives of patient advocacy organizations.
  • The Chairman and Vice Chairman on the CAN shall be appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate and include ex-officio members representing the NIH, the FDA, the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Science Foundation.

Bill History:

April 28, 2009: The Cures Acceleration Act is introduced in the Senate.

April 25, 2009: Senator Specter announces the Cures Acceleration Netword Act in a speech in Chicago.

Helpful Links:

• Read the Autism Speaks press release
  

• Read Senator Specter's press release

• Download a PDF of the CAN Act

• Read Senator Specter's floor statement (April 28, 2009)

• Read Senator Specter's comments on the CAN Act from his announcement on April 25, 2009