DeGette Seeks Legislation To Speed Personalized Medicine

DENVER (CBS4) - U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette hopes a series of discussions with Colorado medical professionals will spur legislation to uncover treatments for diseases faster.

"We need to improve the way we're doing biomedical research in this country to get it from the lab to the clinic so we can get cures more quickly to patients," DeGette, a Democrat, said.

She's meeting with leaders of medical research in Colorado and federal health officials to help craft legislation that will focus on using personalized medicine -- using a person's genetic code -- to seek cures and treatments.

That's especially important to Adam Johnson, a two-time cancer survivor.

"With personalized medicine, I wouldn't have gone through as much chemotherapy as I had gone through," he said at one of the discussions.

There are hurdles, especially a lack of funding, participation, shared information among experts and regulatory issues.

DeGette wants to draft a bill with Republican Fred Upton this fall.