Getting new drugs and devices from the laboratory bench to the patient bedside has always been one of the most difficult issues in medical science. In the words of NIH Director Francis Collins, "Patients suffering from debilitating and life-threatening diseases do not have the luxury to wait the 13 years it currently takes to translate new scientific discoveries into treatments. Both the NIH and the FDA are working to create a faster, smoother, more predictable pathway from discovery to an FDA-approved product. But are these efforts enough? Is it even possible to accelerate science? If so, is money the driver or does the structure of research and of science education need to change? What are leading academic research institutions and the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries doing to make the process of translation of research to and through the clinic more efficient and effective?br>
There is limited seating for this event, and guests will be seated on a first-come, first-served basis.