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McCaul Statement on First Voucher Approval Under 'Creating Hope Act' to Incentivize Treatments for Rare Pediatric Diseases

February 20, 2014

McCaul Statement on First Voucher Approval Under 'Creating Hope Act'
to Incentivize Treatments for Rare Pediatric Diseases

AUSTIN, TX – Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX), founder and co-chair of the Congressional Childhood Cancer Caucus, released a statement on the first voucher approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under the Creating Hope Act, which he passed in 2012:

Congressman McCaul: "The Creating Hope Act is designed to incentivize the development of new treatments for rare childhood diseases including cancer that are otherwise cost prohibitive and as a result do not exist for children who need them. Today I am proud the first voucher has been approved by the FDA, providing incentives to a drug maker to develop the first treatment for kids with rare and serious illnesses under this new law."

"As more pharmaceutical companies line up to take this same approach, this news demonstrates that the Creating Hope Act is forging a viable path to produce childhood cancer treatments that would otherwise not be available. I look forward to this process yielding drugs to save the lives of children who have few treatment options at their disposal. This will in turn help provide better long-term health for those who survive rare childhood diseases but who face life-threatening and life-altering secondary conditions as a result of the harsh treatments intended for adults."

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