Richard J Boxer, MD, FACS
Clinical Professor, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA:
"The American Center for Cures (ACC) is the nexus of unrealized dreams, nearly 25 years of exhaustive advocacy, and medical science at the precipice of conquering diseases that have plagued humanity. The heroes of the past 50 years are the American taxpayer’s enormous generosity supporting medical research and the courageous Americans who have entered clinical trials with hope that they will reach a healthy life, but with knowledge that if their sacrifice does not bring them wellness, they may help their descendants.
Medical science is like a rocket about to blast off, as evidenced by mRNA vaccines, sequencing, editing, and splicing of the human genome, targeted therapies, robotic exoskeletons for paraplegics, and artificial intelligence. The discoveries that will prevent, treat, and cure dozens of diseases are within the grasp of researchers. The rocket fuel is money, commitment, expansion of grants for research, nurturing of young investigators, and political will to see it through. Yes, the National institutes of Health, the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, and research universities have performed brilliantly. And their funding should be continued. Now is the time to coordinate their efforts, to super-charge the funding for laser focused and success-oriented basic, translational, applications patient-centric research together called the American Center for Cures.
The ACC will be uniquely organized for success. Its leadership in science and medicine will be proven researchers and administrators who understand the urgency of suffering patients. But each center of excellence with its designated disease will be led by proven business leaders with a depth of understanding of the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry and who have brought discoveries to market. Incomplete results will not be rewarded. The American people deserve nothing less than success.
The opportunity to change the trajectory of humanity’s health is before us. Do we have the courage and intelligence to create the American Center for Cures? How can we look in the eyes of our children and grandchildren and say we did not have the will?"
Tom Price, Former Cabinet Secretary of Health and Human Services:
“There was a time when America accomplished Big things regularly - The American Center for Cures (ACC) will restore that mantle for the benefit of all Americans. Marshaling the needed resources, putting in place a team of accomplished doers, defining specific diseases to cure in a finite timeline and doing all of this with NO net federal financial outlay would make ACC an endeavor rivaling any this nation has ever undertaken. Count me as a supporter and advocate for this exciting and life changing project.”
James P. Pinkerton, author and former Fox News Contributor, who served in the White House domestic policy offices of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush:
"The gloomy philosopher says, 'The owl of Minerva takes flight only in the gathering darkness.' In other words, we gain wisdom only when it’s too late. All that might sometimes be true, but I’m an optimist. And so are most Americans. We’re with John F. Kennedy, who said: 'We can do better.' So that’s why I support the American Center for Cures, because we can do better. In fact, we must cure more diseases, we must make healthcare affordable, we must strengthen our economy, and we must improve human well-being worldwide."
Peter Georgescu, Chairman emeritus of Young & Rubicam. He served as the company's chairman and CEO from 1994 until January 2000:
"An idea whose time has come. Today, experience, trials, data, and technology can use financial resources, top scientists, and clinicians to unlock the needed solutions. Scale matters. The odds for success here are high. Let's do it.”
Robert Kotler, MD, FACS:
"The concept has been discussed, vetted and honed for years and is now getting a real foothold in the halls of Congress. Big and significant projects never come to fruition overnight. But, many of us having been getting impatient. Too many family members and friends are suffering or have been lost to our most serious illnesses. .”
Ben Wiegand, Business Executive formerly at UnitedHealth Group, Johnson & Johnson, and Procter & Gamble:
"Fortune favors the bold. With the recent advances in precision diagnostics, cell therapies, digital therapeutics, and artificial intelligence / machine learning, our ability to identify the root causes of diseases and then implement integrated health solutions at an individual and societal level has never been greater. The once unimaginable vision of eradicating disease is becoming clearer and this is a critical effort in helping everyone live longer, healthier lives.”
Ben Savage, Actor, Producer:
I am honored to partner with the American Center for Cures -
a bipartisan initiative that will bring together medicine, science,
pharmaceutical industry, business and government to begin preventing and curing diseases that should have been tackled long ago. This important venture will create over 100k jobs, and will bring a sense of urgency and purpose in the quest for treatments and cures.