Last week, U.S. Rep. Neal Dunn, R-Fla., teamed up with a fellow doctor serving in Congress to focus on how the federal government can spur innovation in the medical community.
Dunn and U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, chaired the round table which was held in Washington.
“Last week, I hosted a round table with Congressman Roger Marshall to hear from experts about ways we can improve medical research and drive innovation,” Dunn noted on Tuesday. “We discussed the importance of nuclear medical isotopes and the role they play in cancer treatments. As doctors we are acutely aware of how critical it is for cancer patients to receive these radiation treatments in a timely manner. Slowing the start of these treatments can lessen the effectiveness, and ultimately be detrimental to patient. It is my hope that by continuing conversations, much like this one, we will be able to fix this problem and get our patients access to the treatments they need."
Dr. Scott Weir, the director of the Institute for Advancing Medical Innovation at the University of Kansas, weighed in after the event.
“Testimony provided by the panelists demonstrated that in order to realize patient benefit of federally-funded research, a multidisciplinary team effort involving basic, translational and clinical science experts is required,” Weir said. “Training the next generation of researchers who excel in transdisciplinary collaboration is critically important to improving human and animal health.”
“Eight experts in fields varying from nuclear security to pharmacy industry leaders participated in the discussion held by the Science, Space, and Technology Committee,” Marshall’s office noted. “The roundtable focused on new opportunities for basic science research to improve care and lower health care costs, including ways the pharmacy industry can work to ensure these medical innovations are accessible to all, in both rural and urban America.”
“It was an honor to advocate for basic science research funding on behalf of the orthopedic community,” said Dr. Martha Murray from the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons. “Federal grant funding makes possible the critical innovations we need for our growing patient population.”
“It was an honor to sit alongside these brilliant minds and discuss ways that we can work together to improve health care outcomes and cut costs. The medical industry has come a long way thanks to technology and research, and it’s exciting to see the continual advances being made,” Marshall said on Friday.“ Science and research investments play a key role in delivering advancements for the next generation. I look forward to seeing the future success of projects like those discussed today and remaining a champion of research funding.”
