John Rice Carter: “I thank the gentleman especially for making the point that is true: We can have both. We can lower drug costs; we can…”

“I thank the gentleman especially for making the point that is true: We can have both. We can lower drug costs; we can continue with innovation; and we do not have to stymie innovation. We can achieve what both sides want to achieve without stymieing innovation and without cutting out research and development. Madam Speaker, I want to bring up another situation in which modern medicine has played a role. I will give you an example of where research and development has resulted in miracle cures. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is another terrible disease that predominantly impacts males and is a result of a genetic mutation that inhibits the body from producing the chemical needed to make your muscles work. As with the other diseases that we are going to mention tonight, it has a significant impact on those who are affected. But, fortunately, we have a drug to treat it. Exondys is a drug developed to treat a particular group of people suffering from Duchenne, and it was the first treatment of its kind approved by the FDA. That means that these people for whom this was developed would be able to have their bodies develop the protein necessary to stimulate muscle development and activity. In other words, it can help to improve the daily lives of these people with that particular type of muscular dystrophy. Once again, I can't stress how much of an impact these incredible cures that I have witnessed during my lifetime have.…”