Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Reauthorization Act of 2026 Signed Into Law as Public Law 119-138
The Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Reauthorization Act of 2026 (H.R. 8205) became law on November 3, 2026, as Public Law 119-138. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Illinois) introduced it on April 6, 2026, with 103 cosponsors.
What the Law Does
This act reauthorizes through FY2031 and revises programs that support research and development of drugs and other therapies to address amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease) and other neurodegenerative diseases.
The act reauthorizes
Also, the NIH, in considering renewal of its grants, must assess available information on the safety and efficacy of the investigational drugs. It must also require grantees to promptly report serious and unexpected adverse events associated with their investigational drugs.
Additionally, the FDA must publish a plan describing actions it will take over a five-year period to foster development of safe and effective drugs, and facilitate access to investigational drugs, that treat ALS and other rare neurodegenerative diseases. The FDA must also publish a report describing the actions it has taken under the plan.
How It Passed
- April 6, 2026: Introduced in the House
- July 9, 2026: Reported by committee
- July 22, 2026: Passed the House by voice vote
- September 28, 2026: Passed the Senate by voice vote
- November 3, 2026: Signed into law
The text and full legislative history are on Congress.gov.