17 Jul Biotech association chief applauds Kohl's work on FDA budget
Madison, Wis. – The efforts of U.S. Senator Herb Kohl to accelerate the transfer of medical research into clinical practice has received the backing of Jim Leonhart, executive vice president of the Wisconsin Biotechnology & Medical Device Association.
Kohl, D-Wis., is trying to provide additional funding for Food and Drug Administration programs aimed at getting medical research to clinics faster and improving the efficiency of the drug and device approval processes. To aid these programs, the Senate appropriations subcommittee chaired by Kohl has proposed increasing the FDA’s budget by more than $33 million.
Leonhart said in a release that the programs in question, part of the FDA’s Critical Path Initiative, could help Wisconsin companies bring groundbreaking discoveries to market more quickly.
“Sen. Kohl’s support for the FDA’s Critical Path Initiative is important to the industry’s continuing maturation,” Leonhart said. “It holds the promise for speeding access to safe and effective medical advances, improving the quality of healthcare, and expanding opportunities for innovative biotechnology companies.”
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