FasterCures

FasterCures
Founded 2003
Focus Medical Research
Location
Key people

Margaret A. Anderson (Executive Director) Melissa Stevens (Deputy Executive Director)

Cecilia Arradaza (Director of Communications & Policy)
Slogan Saving Lives by Saving Time
Website www.fastercures.org

FasterCures is a Washington, D.C.–based think tank that focuses on accelerating medical research. This healthcare-related non profit is the Milken Institute's Center for Accelerating Medical Solutions. FasterCures describes itself as an "action tank" that works on many diverse projects in collaboration with industry, academia, non profits, government agencies and philanthropic foundations. FasterCures' mission is to save lives by saving time in the discovery, development and deployment of new therapies for deadly and debilitating diseases. The executive director of FasterCures is Margaret A. Anderson.

Background

In 2003, The Milken Institute founded FasterCures as its center for accelerating medical solutions. It is now one of five Milken Institute centers. Gregory Simon was the first president of FasterCures and remained there until moving on to be Senior Vice President, Patient Engagement at Pfizer, Inc.[1][2] After Simon’s departure, Margaret Anderson became the Executive Director of FasterCures. Melissa Stevens is currently the Deputy Executive Director. FasterCures is additionally funded by a $35 million grant given in 2007 from the The Sumner M. Redstone Charitable Foundation.[3] Since 2003, FasterCures has grown and evolved to be a leading authority in promoting innovation in medical research. It has partnered with numerous disease research organizations and associations, such as the Council for American Medical Innovation, to spread their message and accomplish common goals.[4]

Mission

FasterCures advocates for patient-centered and patient-driven advancements in the medical research community. It works with patient advocates,[5] investors, policymakers, researchers, and any other leaders of medical development to advance four basic areas:

• Stimulate innovation through collaborations among academia, industry, government, investors, and non-profits.
• Optimize use of patient data and increase patient engagement in medical research and development.[6]
• Improve research process and policy to optimize development and approval of new therapies.
• Facilitating more efficient access and allocation of capital to support solutions in medical research

FasterCures has a number of focused programs that execute these above goals with the purpose of saving lives by saving time.

Programs

Partnering for Cures is FasterCures' annual meeting that brings together diverse participants to discuss and solve the crucial issues facing the medical research world today. Partnering for Cures is structured with thought-provoking panels that host well-known speakers from the different sectors of the medical world; presenters from organizations that are boasting innovative approaches to the issues facing health; pro-bono, personalized advice from experts across medical research fields; and a unique partnering systems that allows conference participants to schedule meetings throughout the weekend to collaborate and create new approaches to save and improve lives. The 2012 Partnering for Cures meeting will be the fourth annual conference and will take place on November 28–30, 2012 at the Grand Hyatt New York, New York.

TRAIN Central Station is a portal that provides tools for venture philanthropists. It identifies and promotes innovative venture philanthropies and acts as a model and resource for other nonprofits, industry, academia, policy makers and the media.[7] TRAIN also provides webinars on hot-button medical research issues in today’s world. The most recent ones included an informational session on NCATS and a question and answer session with FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg.[8]

The Philanthropy Advisory Service (PAS) seeks to improve access to medical solutions by easing the philanthropy process. PAS helps philanthropists makes informed decisions about where they should invest their money. PAS was designed to help philanthropists make more impactful donations to medical research by providing information about innovative and efficient disease foundations so that the philanthropists could match their interests to a quality organization and donate wisely.

Patients Helping Doctors is a program that FasterCures offers to connect patients with resources that will facilitate medical breakthroughs. The different aspects of this program include improving electronic health records, facilitating patient enrollment in clinical trials through a partnership with Emerging Med, and engaging with community physicians to help them participate in clinical research.[9]

Time Equals Lives, a social media campaign that FasterCures launched in 2012, spotlights patient stories that are submitted through the www.timeequalslives.org portal. The campaign also provides infographics highlighting key facts and messages about medical research.

FasterCures advocates for greater resources at the Food and Drug Administration. Additionally, FasterCures is invested in promoting translational research through the National Institutes of Health.

Publications

FasterCures has released publications to inform different sectors of the medical research industry. The topics surrounding their publications include bridging the “Valley of Death,” improving biobanking, advancing the use of electronic health records, maximizing the impact of patient advocates, how to optimize philanthropic decisions, and FasterCures annual progress reports.

References

  1. ↑ Neese, Kristin. "Greg Simon, Noted Leader In Health And Science Policy, Joins Pfizer". Business Wire. Berkshire Hathaway. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  2. ↑ "Board of Directors". SmartBrief Senior Management Team. Retrieved February 6, 2012.
  3. ↑ "FasterCures wins $35 million grant from foundation". Washington Business Journal. The Business Journals. Retrieved February 7, 2012.
  4. ↑ Lowery, Laura. "Council for American Medical Innovation Welcomes Newest Partners, The AIDS Institute and FasterCures". News and Events. Council for American Medical Innovation. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
  5. ↑ Dockser Marcus, Amy (June 16, 2011). "Lessons From AIDS/HIV Advocacy Efforts". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved February 7, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Mining Data for Better Medicine". Technology Review. MIT. Retrieved February 7, 2012.
  7. ↑ Manganiello, Michael; Halaska, Terrell (September 9, 2010). "A better way to faster cures". Politico. Retrieved February 7, 2012.
  8. ↑ "FasterCures Webinar: Q&A with FDA's Margaret Hamburg on Regulatory Science Initiative Implementation-Oct 17". Duke Translational Medicine Institute. Duke University. Retrieved February 7, 2012.
  9. ↑ "FasterCures Launches Patients Helping Doctors - An Initiative Mobilizing Patients to Support the Search for Cures; Secretary Thompson Applauds Call to Action to Improve the Medical Research Process". Goliath: Business Knowledge on Demand. Retrieved February 7, 2012.