CF Foundation-Championed Bill Passes Senate
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(Bethesda, Md.) -- The Ensuring Access to Clinical Trials Act (EACT) -- introduced by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Orrin G. Hatch (R-UT), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and co-sponsored by an additional 12 senators -- passed a vote by the Senate this evening. The EACT was drafted to make the Improving Access to Clinical Trials Act (IACT) of 2009 permanent, which is set to expire in October 2015.

The IACT allows individuals living with rare diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, to participate in clinical trials without losing access to government benefits including Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid. By making IACT permanent, those receiving federal assistance will not have to choose between access to health care benefits and participating in clinical trials.

The CF Foundation championed the original IACT legislation and has actively supported the Ensuring Access to Clinical Trials Act in 2015.

“We applaud the United States Senate for passing this critical legislation, which will help advance clinical research on much-needed treatments for cystic fibrosis and other rare diseases,” said Robert J. Beall, President and CEO of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. “We have made great progress in treating CF, but the lives of people with the disease are still cut far too short. Until we have a lifelong cure, it is critical that people with CF have access to promising new treatments that have the potential to help them live longer, healthier lives.”

The Ensuring Access to Clinical Trials Act will now be referred to the House of Representatives for consideration. 

About the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation 

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is the world's leader in the search for a cure for cystic fibrosis. The Foundation funds more cystic fibrosis research than any other organization, and nearly every CF drug available today was made possible because of Foundation support. Based in Bethesda, Md., the Foundation also supports and accredits a national care center network that has been recognized by the National Institutes of Health as a model of care for a chronic disease. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is a donor-supported nonprofit organization. 

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About the CF Foundation | Public Policy | Clinical Trials
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