Senate passes landmark 21st Century Cures Act — but it will take years to implement

WASHINGTON — It took nearly three years for Congress to pass the 21st Century Cures Act. The next question is: How long will it take the Food and Drug Administration to implement it?

The legislation, designed to accelerate the introduction of new medical treatments by speeding up some FDA approval processes and boosting federal funding, passed the Senate Wednesday by a 94 to 5 vote on Wednesday. The House passed it last week, and President Obama is expected to sign it into law.

But the Cures Act, nearly 1,000 pages long, does not lay out many deadlines.

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