[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 118 (Friday, August 3, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1404]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        CRITICAL PATH INSTITUTE

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                            HON. RON BARBER

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 2, 2012

  Mr. BARBER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Critical Path 
Institute, a non-profit organization based in Tucson, Arizona, that 
plays an important role in helping to improve the way that much-needed 
drugs are brought to the market.
  Critical Path, or C-Path, was founded six years ago by the University 
of Arizona and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It is not 
affiliated with any single entity or interest group--a status that 
allows C-Path to serve as an effective and objective facilitator among 
scientists from the government, academia and the private sector.
  C-Path was founded after the FDA called attention to an alarming 
decline in the number of innovative medical products being submitted 
for government approval. The FDA cited the need for applied research to 
bridge the gap between basic scientific research and medical product 
development.
  Since then, C-Path has worked with scientists from academia as well 
as biotechnology companies, the government and the pharmaceutical 
industry to develop innovative new testing methods. This enables life-
saving drugs, devices and biological products to reach patients faster 
and with proven safety.
  Developing effective drugs and medical devices is a lengthy and 
expensive process--even under the best of circumstances. It is a 
process that can take more than 12 years and cost $1 billion in 
laboratory research and testing. About 95 percent of new compounds fail 
during development.
  C-Path has demonstrated that public/private partnerships focused on 
noncompetitive consensus science have the capacity to provide new tools 
so drug developers can speed important new medicines from discovery to 
patients more quickly.
  C-Path was founded by Dr. Raymond L. Woosley, who stepped down as 
president and CEO earlier this year. He was succeeded by Dr. Carolyn 
Compton, an internationally respected scientist with extensive 
experience in translational science and personalized medicine.
  I am proud to recognize the Critical Path Institute, based in Tucson, 
Arizona, for its important role in improving the way that researchers, 
academia, the private sector and government work together to bring 
needed medical advancements to the people who need them.
  C-Path has shown us what is possible when we work in partnership and 
collaboration to solve important national concerns.

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