WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Yesterday, Rep. Scott Peters (CA-52) supported the passage of the Creating Hope Reauthorization Act, which incentivizes the pharmaceutical industry to develop treatments and cures for life-threatening conditions, including cancer, through an extension of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) rare pediatric disease priority review voucher program.

“It’s hard enough for families to face an unknown medical future for a child; having access to every available treatment should not be an additional burden,” Rep. Peters said. “Shortening the time it takes to review such treatments opens a new window of opportunity for children living with conditions such as ALS, Tourette syndrome, muscular dystrophy, and other rare diseases.”

The Creating Hope Reauthorization Act would permanently reauthorize the FDA’s priority review voucher program, set to expire in September 2022. This lifesaving program allows companies with safe, effective treatments for rare diseases to expedite their review process so consumers can access these treatments more quickly. The program speeds the process of the FDA’s drug submission review from ten months to six months.

Given San Diego’s pivotal role as an innovation hub for biotech and life science research, this reauthorization makes all the difference for children and families in our region who are facing a rare disease diagnosis.

Increasing access to innovative drugs and specialized medical treatments has been a priority for Rep. Peters in Congress. Last year, he introduced the Acting to Cancel Copays and Ensure Substantial Savings for Biosimilars (ACCESS) Act to eliminate a patient’s copay for a biosimilar if they normally would pay the full cost of a biologic drug under Medicare Part B, as well as the Ending the Diagnostic Odyssey Act to provide federal funds to support the use of whole genome sequencing to diagnose ill children.