21st Century Cures Act Signed into Law

Today, President Barack Obama signed the 21st Century Cures Act into law. There are many key provisions in this new law that we care about – including National Institutes of Health research funding; patient-focused drug development and patient engagement support; and clinical trial design and review modernization and we must continue to play a role in helping to shape implementation through our advocacy efforts.

Perhaps more importantly, we must continue to fight to elevate lupus on the nation’s healthcare agenda and funding for lupus research.

We will be hosting the National Policy Summit: Advocacy in Action on June 26-27, 2017 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.  We encourage you to join us to raise awareness among policymakers and encourage support and elevate lupus on the nation’s health care agenda.

This summit gives us the opportunity to play a vital role in shaping policy to meet the needs of the lupus community. At the 2015 National Lupus Advocacy Summit, nearly 200 lupus activists from across the country visited Capitol Hill, and thousands more joined us to support 21st Century Cures legislation.

Only one drug has ever been developed specifically to treat lupus and approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. For the estimated 1.5 million Americans and 5 million people worldwide living with a form of lupus, one drug will never be enough to treat this cruel and mysterious disease. We must have an arsenal of safe and effective treatments and cures for lupus.