In This Issue:
Convenings Recap
Policy Updates
FasterCures in the Media
FasterCures in the Community
Upcoming Events
Stay in the Know
Convenings Recap
Global Conference 2023
On April 30–May 3, 2023, the Milken Institute held its annual Global Conference in Los Angeles. FasterCures curated six public sessions. For detailed descriptions and recordings, please visit the session links below.
First Cup with FasterCures
In June, we hosted a First Cup with FasterCures policy discussion with guest speaker Joni L. Rutter, PhD, director of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS). She discussed how NCATS leverages its unique capabilities to get treatments to patients more quickly. First Cup is an invite-only breakfast designed for policy experts to network and engage with colleagues across sectors in targeted discussions to advance ways to accelerate biomedical innovation.
Convening on Antimicrobial Resistance with US Embassy of the Netherlands
On June 5, FasterCures and the US Embassy of the Netherlands welcomed Ernst Kuipers, MD, minister of Health, Welfare, and Sport, along with over 25 private-sector, administration, and congressional health policy leaders to a discussion about the importance of global coordination in efforts to address antimicrobial resistance, creating new incentives for innovative drug development, and the PASTEUR Act.
Science | Business Roundtable on Pandemic Preparedness
On behalf of FasterCures, Esther Krofah, executive vice president of MI Health, joined a roundtable this spring hosted by Science | Business with global health experts to discuss how the world can prepare for future pandemics. Its new report summarizes the key recommendations that emerged from the roundtable. It highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the Zero Draft of the Pandemic Accord, including a call to better define One Health-related activities, as well as a recommendation to include the private sector in high-level negotiations of the treaty. During the event, Krofah stressed the need for an early warning system for pandemics: “It is critical that we build pathogen surveillance systems that track pre-event activities before an outbreak emerges (when we see illnesses of unknown origin).” Read the report.
View Recording and Summary of FasterCures TRAIN Webinar
In April, FasterCures held a TRAIN webinar on “Building More Diverse and Inclusive Patient Organizations and Communities.” The webinar included speakers from our partners at the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, Lupus Research Alliance, and Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research. The presentations offered lessons and best practices that can be modeled by other patient organizations hoping to improve their diversity and representation in research. View the webinar recording and summary.
Changemakers Meeting with ARPA-H
On June 26, Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) staff and project managers presented for our Changemakers group. The discussion focused on ARPA-H’s mission, “leveraging research advances for real world impact,” the types of projects they will be funding, how they are addressing diversity and equity in ARPA-H initiatives and access to program outputs, how they are coordinating with regulators and payers, and the role of patients and patient organizations in informing their efforts.
Policy Updates
Comment Letter on the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program
FasterCures submitted a comment letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on implementing parts of the Inflation Reduction Act related to the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. The program represents a landmark opportunity to reduce the financial burden of drug costs on Medicare beneficiaries while curbing CMS’ spending on Part D and Part B drugs. We recommend CMS ensure sufficient timing and process for patient input and clarify the use of patient experience data.
Expiration of the Public Health Emergency for COVID-19
In response to the Public Health Emergency (PHE) for COVID-19 expiration on May 11, 2023, FasterCures sent a comment letter to the US Department of Health and Human Services with recommendations centered on three critical public health areas impacted by the PHE: data sharing and coordination, telehealth and technology-enabled home care, and equitable access to care and meeting social needs.
The Reintroduction of the PASTEUR Act
The Pioneering Antimicrobial Subscriptions to End Upsurging Resistance (PASTEUR) Act was reintroduced to Congress on April 27, 2023. FasterCures believes an important step toward tackling the growing global health emergency of antimicrobial resistance is strengthening the antibiotic development pipeline. This bipartisan legislation would encourage innovative drug development targeting the most threatening infections, improve the appropriate use of antibiotics, and ensure the domestic availability of antibiotics when needed.
UN High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response
Ahead of the United Nations (UN) High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response in September, FasterCures submitted a statement to the UN General Assembly highlighting three areas for consideration: 1) the need for a globally coordinated early warning system, 2) the importance of community and private-sector engagement, and 3) the urgency for novel financing strategies.
Advancing Clinical and Translational Science through Accelerating the Decentralization of Clinical Trials
FasterCures believes it is imperative to improve clinical trial accessibility by lessening the burden of participation. As such, FasterCures submitted a letter to the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences in response to a Request for Information on the decentralization of clinical trials. We offered input on five priority areas: Community Engagement, Workforce Development, Partnerships and Collaborations, Study Participation and Adherence, and Sustaining and Advancing Investment, Engagement, and Accountability.
FasterCures Supports National Institutes of Health Director Nomination
FasterCures applauds the nomination of Monica Bertagnolli, MD, as director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The NIH is vital for developing transformative and life-saving science for people across the US and around the globe. The last three years have demonstrated to the world the critical importance of medical innovations and the importance of collaboration in making rapid progress. If confirmed, we look forward to working with Bertagnolli to improve the R&D environment, increase patient engagement, advance innovative treatments, and speed their delivery to all patients. Read our statement of support.
FasterCures in the Media
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FDA Issues Draft Guidance on Decentralized Clinical Trials in Bloomberg Law
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The CEO of 23andMe Says People Are Willing To Share Health Data—If ‘Treated Like Adults’ in STAT
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CVS Health To Shut Down Clinical Trials Division in Modern Healthcare
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The Future of Cancer Care at Home: Findings from an American Cancer Society Summit in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians
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Health Equity Challenges Facing Testing, Evaluation, and Implementation of Multi-cancer Early Detection Tests in the Journal of Clinical Oncology
FasterCures in the Community
Members of our team have been recognized externally and taken part in a diverse mix of speaking engagements.
April
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On April 19, Director Yasmeen Long was a panelist on the Leadership Roundtable Advancing Diversity and Health Equity hosted by Voz Advisors.
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On April 27, Long spoke at CTTI Diversity in Clinical Trials Convergence.
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On April 28, Executive Vice President Esther Krofah spoke at a White House listening session on therapeutics.
May
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On May 5, Associate Director Amanda Wagner Gee spoke at a White House Office of Science and Technology Policy listening session.
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On May 10, Krofah gave the keynote speech at the 2nd Annual AORTIC Cancer Genomics Conference.
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On May 16, Long spoke at the Digital Medicine Society.
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On May 18, Krofah gave the commencement speech for the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health graduation.
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On May 17, Associate Director Hadly Clark spoke at the Therapeutic Area Partnerships Oncology 2023.
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On May 22, Long spoke on a Association for Clinical Research Professionals webinar, Building a More Equitable Future Together by Driving Inclusion in Clinical Trials.
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On May 23, Senior Director Kristin Schneeman spoke at the Real: Health Equity Summit.
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On May 24, Long was a panelist at the Society for Clinical Trials Conference.
June
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On June 2, Long spoke at the IQVIA Institute panel on Designing and Delivering Diversity in Oncology Clinical Trials.
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On June 5, Long spoke at a Medable panel on Digital Health Technologies and Decentralized Clinical Trials.
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On June 6, Krofah moderated a discussion about what’s next for biotech with GSK leaders at the BIO convention.
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On June 12, Long spoke at a virtual CTTI Diversity in Clinical Trials Convergence meeting.
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On June 22, Schneeman was a panelist in an IQVIA webinar, "Shaping and Interpreting Policy for Patients.”
Upcoming Events
Register for the Advances in Science Webinar
Join us on Tuesday, August 15, 2023, from 12:30–1:30 p.m. ET for our next Advances in Science webinar with guest speaker Richard Hodes, MD, director of the National Institute on Aging at the NIH. Learn more and register.
Save the Date for the Future of Health Summit 2023
The Future of Health Summit 2023 will be held in Washington, DC, November 6–8, 2023. The summit brings together leading experts to confront the most significant health challenges by matching human, financial, and scientific resources with the most innovative, inclusive, and impactful ideas. This year, the Partnering for Patients Forum will be included as a track at the three-day event.