New Cures Draft Due Tuesday Night, Sources Say

The House Energy and Commerce Committee is expected to reveal an updated draft of its Food and Drug Administration reform initiative, 21st Century Cures, as soon as Tuesday night, according to several Democratic aides.

One aide says the new draft could include more details about provisions related to telemedicine and interoperability, which were not addressed in the second draft released in late April.

The committee is slated to hold its first markup of the legislation on Thursday.

21st Century Cures aims to expedite the FDA’s approval of new drugs and medical devices. In addition, the bill would increase funding for the National Institutes of Health, but the cost offsets have not been worked out.

Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), who is spearheading the initiative, said he hopes to pass the legislation before the end of the year.