[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 94 (Friday, July 9, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1346]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           INTRODUCTION OF THE CLINICAL RESEARCH ACT OF 2004

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                            HON. DAVE WELDON

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, July 9, 2004

  Mr. WELDON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to join with my 
colleague from Pennsylvania, Mr. Doyle to introduce the ``Clinical 
Research Act of 2004.'' This bill will address many of the problems 
confronting our Academic Health Centers as they attempt to leverage the 
enormous biomedical research gains made in the past century.
  Breakthroughs in basic biomedical sciences, including human genomics, 
biomedical engineering, molecular biology, and immunology, over the 
past five decades have provided an unprecedented supply of information 
for improving human health. As a member of the Labor-HHS-Education 
Appropriations Subcommittee I am proud to say that the remarkable 
strides that have been made in basic science would not have occurred 
without the support of Congress and the general public. While we 
realize that research may not produce results overnight, we, as 
stewards of the taxpayers' dollar have every right to expect that the 
fruits of that research will result in better treatments for patients. 
This requires a clinical research infrastructure capable of 
translating, in a systemic and rational way, the fruits of basic 
research into improved patient care.
  I, along with many of my colleagues in the Congress and the public in 
general, have become increasingly concerned that we have been too slow 
in getting improved patient therapies and interventions from the 
enormous investment we have made in basic research. Many in this 
Congress have expressed concern about the apparent disconnect between 
the promise of basic science and the delivery of better health care for 
the citizens of this country. Without strong Academic Health Centers 
capable of conducting clinical research the promise of improving the 
health of the American people will continue to elude us.
  Unfortunately, the clinical research environment in the Academic 
Health Centers is encumbered by rising costs, inadequate funding, 
mounting regulatory burdens, fragmented infrastructure, incompatible 
databases, and a shortage of both qualified investigators and willing 
study participants.
  This bill, through its clinical research support grants, 
infrastructure grants, and partnerships in clinical research grants 
will provide our Nation's Academic Health Centers with the resources 
they need and the opportunity to meet the public's expectations. This 
bill is specifically aimed at improving the translation of this new 
medical science knowledge to directly benefit those suffering from a 
wide array of diseases that impact all too many lives.
  If we are going to fully benefit from the enormous investment of 
taxpayer dollars in biomedical research it is important that we move 
this legislation forward.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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