How The 21st Century Cures Act Could Affect The FDA

10:34

Updated December 06, 2016

Caitlin O'Keefe, Meghna Chakrabarti

This Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013 photo shows the Capitol building reflected in the Capitol Reflecting Pool at sunrise in Washington. The 2016 presidential campaign has underscored an economic paradox: Financially, black Americans and Hispanics are far worse off than whites, yet polls show minorities are more likely than whites to believe in the American Dream. And they are less anxious about the outcome of the election. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

The 21st Century Cures Act is a $6.3 billion piece of legislation that would be the biggest health reform bill since the Affordable Care Act.

Proponents, including President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, say that the bill will help unlock cures for cancer, Alzheimer's and opioid addiction. Opponents, including Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, say that the bill has been "hijacked" by the pharmaceutical industry.

We speak to the co-chair of the National Physicians Alliance Food and Drug Administration Task Force about what the bill might mean for the FDA.

Guest

Dr. Reshma Ramachandran, assistant scientist in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and co-chair of the National Physicians Alliance FDA Task Force. She tweets @reshmagar.

This article was originally published on December 06, 2016.

This segment aired on December 6, 2016.

How The 21st Century Cures Act Could Affect The FDA

Guest

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