New House Bill Offers Hope to Millions

Creation of ARPA-H would improve Americans’ health while strengthening the nation’s leadership in science and innovation

Washington, DC - October 18, 2021 - UsAgainstAlzheimer’s and Friends of Cancer Research applaud Representative Anna Eshoo (D-CA) for introducing a bill that will revolutionize how America innovates for health. The bill would create the Advanced Research Projects Agency–Health (ARPA-H), a priority of President Biden’s.

Modeled on DARPA, the defense agency that gave us the internet and GPS technology, ARPA-H would:

  • Foster the development of break-through technologies and platforms to accelerate innovations in health and medicine;
  • Revolutionize diagnosis, mitigation, prevention, and treatment of diseases through transformative health technologies and high-need cures;
  • Promote high-risk, high-reward innovation to develop high-need cures; and
  • Ensure the United States maintains global leadership in science and innovation while ensuring the highest quality of life and health for its citizens.

“This bill is transformational. The agency it creates would not only save lives by helping to end Alzheimer’s, but it would blaze a new path for health innovation that will benefit all of us,” said George Vradenburg, chairman and co-founder of UsAgainstAlzheimer’s. “That’s why UsAgainstAlzheimer’s has been working tirelessly with our allies in the patient advocacy movement to create this vital agency. It’s a critical supplement to our world-leading research agency, the National Institutes of Health.”

“We applaud Rep. Eshoo for introducing and supporting this bill,” said Friends of Cancer Research chair and founder Ellen Sigal. “The creation of ARPA-H would engage our nation’s brightest minds to develop treatments and cures at a record-breaking pace. I can’t emphasize enough the level of impact this bill gives cancer patients across the country.”

Additional details of the bill can be found here.

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About UsAgainstAlzheimer’s

UsAgainstAlzheimer’s exists to conquer Alzheimer’s disease. We take on the toughest problems; bring all of “Us” together to break down barriers; advocate for research that will speed treatments to market; and drive changes that matter most to people living with the disease. We will not rest until brain-span equals lifespan - for everyone.

About Friends of Cancer Research

Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) is working to accelerate policy change, support groundbreaking science, and deliver new therapies to patients quickly and safely. We unite scientists, pharmaceutical companies, and policy makers with shared trust and guide them toward meaningful cooperation. This collaboration among partners from every healthcare sector ultimately drives advances in science, policy, and regulation that speed life-saving treatments to patients. For more information, please visit https://friendsofcancerresearch.org/.

For press inquiries, please contact: 

Jon Summers (UsAgainstAlzheimer's) | [email protected] | 202.607.8819

Ryan Hohman (Friends of Cancer Research) | [email protected] | 202.944.6704