Lubbock Times

The House Budget Committee Health Care Task Force (HCTF) convened a roundtable on June 28, 2024, to discuss the budgetary implications of increasing patient access to cell and gene therapies. Chaired by Michael C. Burgess M.D. (R-TX), the event was titled “Paying for 21st Century Cures: Examining the Budgetary Effects of Increasing Patient Access to Cell and Gene Therapies.”

These innovative therapies are becoming available to patients, with many more in development. However, their high upfront costs pose significant budgetary challenges for federal and state governments, private payors, and patients.

Chairman Burgess led the discussion to explore projected impacts on the federal budget and potential policy solutions to enhance patient access to these advanced treatments.

"We all know the healthcare struggle with budget issues," said Burgess at the roundtable. "If we are ever going to move from where we are now to where we should be in the future, we have to somehow fix the budget. Modifying genetic material within the patient’s cells and developing personalized treatments were nonexistent before."

Burgess referenced the 2016 passage of the 21st Century Cures Act (P.L. 114-255), which aimed to accelerate biomedical advancements by providing funding for research and streamlining approval processes.

"I think we can look back to that success," he added. "And then the question becomes, what can we be looking forward to for future successes. Today was a crucial discussion in licensing gene therapy, regulatory hurdles, budgetary impacts, and potential policy solutions to build upon the 21st Century Cures Act."

The panel included Dr. Peter Marks from FDA, Chapin White from CBO, Dan Mendelson from Morgan Health, and Mike Capaldi from Institute for Gene Therapies.

Further details about HCTF’s work on health care can be found through various resources provided by Chairman Burgess on cell and gene therapies.