Pasco Reporter

The Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act 2.0 has been signed into law, marking a significant development in pediatric cancer research funding. This legislation, co-authored by Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Jennifer Wexton (D-VA), Tom Cole (R-OK), and Debbie Dingell (D-MI), alongside Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Jerry Moran (R-KS), aims to reauthorize and increase funding for the National Institute of Health’s Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program.

The program has been instrumental in supporting research for treatments targeting childhood cancer. The bill is named after Gabriella Miller, who was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor and passed away at age 10 in 2013. Her advocacy led to the establishment of the Ten-Year Pediatric Research Initiative Fund, which provided $12.6 million annually for childhood disease research and was due to expire this fiscal year.

"Pediatric cancer remains the number one disease that leads to the death of American children," said Rep. Bilirakis. He emphasized that while survival rates have improved for some pediatric cancers, many children still face life-threatening complications from treatments designed for adults due to a lack of pediatric-specific options.

Rep. Bilirakis highlighted the importance of the NIH's Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program in developing resources to aid researchers in understanding childhood cancer biology and structural birth defects better. "This foundational research is critical for facilitating a better understanding of pediatric cancers, and holds the promise for the development of better treatments and possible cures," he stated.