Pasco Reporter

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott and Congressman Gus Bilirakis hosted a discussion with biotechnology industry leaders in the Tampa Bay area, focusing on streamlining Food and Drug Administration (FDA) processes to facilitate the development of more effective treatments and cures. The lawmakers toured Moffitt Cancer Center’s Speros FL campus, meeting with industry leaders to address challenges in bringing new products and treatments to market.

According to the National Institutes of Health, the average cost of developing a new treatment in the United States is $2.8 billion, with an estimated timeframe of 10 to 15 years. Sen. Scott and Congressman Bilirakis aim to incentivize innovation in health care, produce faster and more efficient treatments, and reduce bureaucratic red tape to lower costs for patients with complex conditions.

Senator Rick Scott stated, “It was great to be at the new Moffitt Speros campus in Land O’ Lakes today with Congressman Gus Bilirakis and see innovation in healthcare in action. As Florida’s Governor and U.S. Senator, I’ve fought hard to make the Sunshine State a leader in cancer treatment and disease research. Moffitt is a huge partner in that work to provide families with access to affordable, world-class care and I’m excited to see what the future holds.”

Congressman Gus Bilirakis added, “With millions of Americans suffering from debilitating conditions and health care costs continuing to rise, we must continually seek ways to improve patient outcomes through the accelerated development of more effective treatments and cures. Technological advancements such as cell and gene therapies hold great promise for life-changing breakthroughs in health care. We want to harness that potential by removing unnecessary bureaucratic roadblocks that stymie innovation and increase costs, all while maintaining the highest safety standards.”

Patrick Hwu, M.D., president and CEO of Moffitt, remarked, “We are laser-focused on bringing groundbreaking cancer therapies to our patients and saving more lives today and tomorrow. Speros will help us accelerate discoveries in cell and gene therapies, immunotherapies and more to deliver leading oncology care.”

For photos of the visit, click here.