On Friday morning voting took place for a bipartisan bill, called 21st Century Cures. The bill that would bring important changes in the way new drugs and medical devices are developed was passed in the House in a 344-77 vote.

The bill has the backing of pharmaceutical industry, patient advocacy groups, and medical organizations. House Energy and Commerce Committee chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich., was of the view that one of the main aims of the bill is that the nation's laws, regulations, and resources should move parallel to scientific advancements.

The provisions of the bill will also try to make drug-approval process an easy one. But the list of provisions is giving concerns to industry watchdogs and physicians who stated that the provisions are aimed to held drug and device companies more than patients.

Critics said that the bill has not addressed a main problem with the development of new therapies. "We share Congress' desire to increase funding for NIH, but there are dangerous parts of this bill that many members of Congress did not fully understand", affirmed Diana Zuckerman, president of the National Center for Health Research, a non-profit think tank.

However, it could not be denied that the bill has brought hope for many, and especially for those who have seen their ill family members suffer from devastating diseases. The bill also calls for increase in the budget of National Institutes of Health for an additional $8.75 billion.