Collins, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Streamline FDA Process to Develop New Medications, Medical Products

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) introduced legislation to streamline the federal government’s process to develop drugs and other medical products by continuing the Food and Drug Administration’s public-private partnerships with universities and non-profit organizations. The bipartisan bill will also reauthorize the Critical Path Public-Private Partnerships through Fiscal Year 2027. 

“There is simply no investment that promises greater returns for America than our investment in biomedical research. Diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer’s, with their devastating human and financial costs, are powerful examples of the urgent need to keep our momentum in research funding going,” said Senator Collins. “The Critical Path Institute has fueled collaboration and innovation that has led to effective means of prevention, treatments, and cures. By reauthorizing this public-private partnership, we can continue to support this promising research.”

The Critical Path Initiative strives to accelerate the development of medical products while also reducing product development costs by creating new data, measurement, and methods standards used to scientifically evaluate the safety and efficacy of new products. The Critical Path Institute, also known as C-Path, achieves this by providing the legal and scientific infrastructure to create a neutral, pre-competitive forum in which industry leaders, academic researchers, scientists, regulators, and patient groups work together to accelerate the development and approval of new products and therapies. Congress initially enacted this program through the Safe and Effective Drug Development Act in 2007 and has reauthorized it twice.

Companion legislation was introduced in the House by Representatives Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ-01) and Debbie Lesko (R-AZ-8).

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