BIO supports fast-tracking the Precision Medicine Initiative

Dan Durham, the EVP for Health Policy of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), has released a statement in response to the White House’s announcement about its intent to fast-track the Precision Medicine Initiative.

In his statement, Durham made it clear that BIO supports the White House’s intentions of moving forward with the Precision Medicine Initiative and that the formation of a nationwide participant group for research would be a great step forward for precision medicine technologies. BIO believes that precision medicine could provide an early health care response that is more accurate.

The data that has been collected from the Initiative could prove to be crucial in the development of medicines to treat patients in the early stages of their disease progression. The therapeutics that are developed based on the Initiative’s data could prove to be more effective when fighting the diseases, since they would be catered toward specific features of the disease.

BIO has suggested a program similar to this when it proposed the 21st Century Cures Initiative. It is the company’s hope that Congress and the Administration will take into account the incredible potential of the Initiative and produce medicines that can tackle diseases early on.

“We look forward to working with the Administration and Congress to ensure that the discoveries and information resulting from the Initiative will serve to advance patient health and improve the drug development and review processes," Durham said.