This year, many faced challenges that have prompted revised objectives, new strategic directions, and strengthened resolve to forge ahead. Times like these put priorities in perspective and we believe that there is no more important task at hand than extending, protecting, and improving quality of life through better health and a renewed focus on accelerating the search for cures.

At FasterCures we took important steps in 2009 to break down the barriers that exist across the biomedical research continuum -- from basic research to drug development -- to clear the path to faster medical progress.

We convened some of the most forward-thinking leaders and organizations in an effort to learn from experiences and facilitate strategic collaborations. This year, we:

• Facilitated cross-sector collaborations through Partnering for Cures, a first-of-its-kind meeting that brought together more than 625 leaders, innovators, and decision-makers from philanthropy, medical research foundations, and industry to explore partnerships needed to turn a scientific discovery into a life-saving therapy.
• Brought together a cross-disciplinary group of innovative thinkers at the annual FasterCures-Esquire leadership forum on "Disrupting the Current Medical Research Paradigm" to explore the radical changes that are needed to accelerate the search for new treatments and cures for disease.
• Organized expert panels at the Milken Institute Global Conference to forecast the future of health, explore healthcare reform, examine nonprofit sustainability, and discuss stem cell research developments.

We cultivated a research and policy culture that promotes and appropriately incentivizes the pursuit of novel, high-risk research approaches. This year, we:

• Released a report from the FasterCures task force chaired by Nobel Laureate and Board Member Dr. David Baltimore which called for the Intramural Research Program at the NIH to adopt a new mission that is outcomes-focused, capable of responding quickly to new opportunities and challenges, and fully utilizes its world-class research hospital and other infrastructure.
• Participated actively in coalitions and thought-leader dialogues tackling some of the most pressing concerns plaguing the biomedical research system -- from innovation to FDA appropriations, from health information technology to comparative effectiveness research.
• Released From Social Entrepreneurship to Cure Entrepreneurship, the latest in a series of FasterCures reports aimed at injecting new, more strategic approaches to medical research in an effort to expedite results.

We catalyzed innovation and systemic improvements by enlisting allies across all sectors that impact medical research in the movement to bring about transformative change. This year, we:

• Amplified best practices from cure entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders who are producing dramatic results for patients, who comprise the TRAIN (The Redstone Acceleration and Innovation Network) program.
• Launched the Philanthropy Advisory Service (PAS), an information resource designed to promote more informed giving that provides reliable, independent data on the effectiveness and contributions of nonprofit disease research organizations.
• Engaged a broad range of stakeholders – members of pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, foreign policy makers, administration officials -- in the FasterCures agenda through presentations, speaking opportunities, and one-on-one dialogues.

As we further define our strategic priorities and implement outcomes-driven programs, here’s a preview of what’s on our agenda for 2010:

• Fostering innovation and accountability in medical research.
• Continuing to create a more informed, transparent, and results-oriented environment for medical philanthropy.
• Empowering patients to play an active role in clinical research.
• Exploring and expanding opportunities at the Food and Drug Administration for acceleration of cures.
• Srengthening medical research tools (e.g., electronic health records, biobanks) to better support a more effective and efficient health cures system.
   

Our need for cures has never been greater. And yet, it can take nearly two decades to develop new medical solutions. Expediting cures requires collaboration and we hope you will join us in making a commitment to faster cures. Please consider supporting our efforts by making a donation or getting involved.

Thank you for your support. Sincerely,

Margaret Anderson
Executive Director
FasterCures/The Center for Accelerating Medical Solutions