Health and wellness are often top of mind as a New Year rolls around. We resolve to eat better and exercise more often after a holiday season full of indulgence. This year, Congress is poised to help improve the health of nearly every American family, including many in West Virginia.
Earlier this month, the 21st Century Cures Act, or Cures, was signed into law and several West Virginians were there, symbolizing the numerous benefits this legislation will bring to our state.
This bipartisan law promotes and funds cutting-edge research towards new cancer vaccines and therapies. It makes improvements to the drug research and approval process that will promote medical breakthroughs and get treatment to patients more quickly, while maintaining strong standards for safety and effectiveness. With these new medical innovations, we can accelerate cures that improve the lives of patients, and study the human brain to treat, prevent and cure disorders like cancer, Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, autism and epilepsy.
For communities that have been hard hit by the drug epidemic that has swept the nation, like many in our own state, Cures includes $1 billion to fight the opioid crisis. Priority for this funding will be given to states like West Virginia that have been hard hit by addiction and will support successful state-based programs like those being led by the City of Huntington.
I have worked hard to ensure that federal resources are dedicated to stem the tide of drug addiction and save lives. Cures includes a spectrum of solutions I have supported, including improved prescription drug monitoring, new prevention programs, and expanded access to treatment and recovery.
For the one in five American adults who suffers from a mental illness, Cures improves and strengthens the mental health system, focuses on community-based care and expands coverage for those seeking treatment. With greater federal oversight, this bill will ensure that mental health coverage is on par with physical health benefits, including for Americans coping with eating disorders.
Cures simplifies the protocols for scientists, so that Marshall University and other research institutions in West Virginia and across the country can learn and benefit from their respective medical breakthroughs and innovations. The Mountain State is the right place for this type of research, and as West Virginia looks to grow and diversify its economy, promoting the outstanding work of our students and researchers will create new opportunities in the future.
As many grapple with serious diseases and drug addiction, this legislation promises to make a real difference for families and communities. As a West Virginia family whose daughter suffers from a rare disease put it, Cures "has the potential to open up new treatment options for children like our terminally ill six-year-old daughter who suffers from a rare disease called Sanfilippo Syndrome [this] legislation will provide a better future for so many families.”
This bill takes a comprehensive approach to addressing many of our pressing health challenges, and in doing so, stands to benefit so many Americans.
For the tens of thousands of West Virginians affected by serious diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's, including my own family, Cures will promote the types of treatments and cures that will bring visible benefits to your lives.
U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican, represents West Virginia in the U.S. Senate.