Another Bilirakis Healthcare Priority Becomes Law
Washington, DC: The Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act 2.0, a bill co-authored by Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Jennifer Wexton (D-VA), Tom Cole (R-OK), and Debbie Dingell (D-MI) along with Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) has just been signed into law. The legislation will reauthorize and increase funding for the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program (Kids First), which has supported lifesaving research of treatments for childhood cancer. The bill is named in honor of Gabriella Miller, who was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor and passed away in 2013 at age 10. Gabriella’s advocacy for lawmakers to “stop talking, start doing,” led to the creation of the Ten-Year Pediatric Research Initiative Fund which authorized $12.6 million in annual funds for childhood disease research. The fund was set to expire at the end of this Fiscal Year.
“Pediatric cancer remains the number one disease that leads to the death of American children. While survival rates have improved for some types of pediatric cancers, thousands of children are lost to cancer each year and many more encounter life threatening complications related to harsh chemotherapies. Children have significantly fewer treatment options than adults and oftentimes must rely on treatment regimens developed for adults because pediatric-specific treatments simply do not exist for many pediatric cancers and rare diseases. The Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is working to develop a large-scale data resource to help researchers uncover new insights into the biology of childhood cancer and structural birth defects, including the discovery of shared genetic pathways between these disorders. 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. As a longtime advocate for children and rare disease patients, I have been proud to champion the continuation of this crucial research,” said Rep. Bilirakis.
Click here to listen to Congressman Bilirakis discussing the importance of this bill on the House Floor prior to its passage.