[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 370 Introduced in House (IH)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 370

   To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for expanding, 
 intensifying, and coordinating activities with respect to research on 
                     autoimmune diseases in women.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 27, 2003

Mr. Lynch (for himself, Ms. Lee, Ms. Norton, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Frost, Ms. 
    Millender-McDonald, Mr. Serrano, and Mrs. Capps) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                                Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for expanding, 
 intensifying, and coordinating activities with respect to research on 
                     autoimmune diseases in women.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Women's Autoimmune Diseases Research 
and Prevention Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds as follows:
            (1) The term ``autoimmune disease'' refers to a varied 
        group of more than 80 serious, chronic illnesses that involve 
        the human organ system, the nervous, gastrointestinal and 
        endocrine systems, the skin and other connective tissues, eyes, 
        and blood and blood vessels.
            (2) These diseases include, but are not limited to, 
        Epstein-Barr virus, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, 
        multiple sclerosis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, Hashimoto's 
        thyroiditis, Graves' disease, and vasculitis syndromes.
            (3) 50 million Americans are afflicted with some form of 
        autoimmune disease.
            (4) 75 percent of autoimmune diseases occur in women, most 
        frequently during but not limited to the childbearing years.
            (5) Taken together, autoimmune diseases represent the 
        fourth largest cause of disability among women in the United 
        States.
            (6) Female-to-male ratios in autoimmune diseases are 
        dramatically skewed toward women, in some cases by ratios as 
        high as 50 to 1.
            (7) Autoimmune diseases remain among the most poorly 
        understood and poorly recognized of any category of illnesses; 
        while science suggest they may have a genetic component, they 
        can cluster in families as different illnesses.
            (8) To help women live longer, healthier lives, more 
        research is needed to shed light on genetic as well as hormonal 
        and environmental risk factors that contribute to the causes of 
        these diseases, as well as providing early diagnosis and 
        treatment.

SEC. 3. EXPANSION AND INTENSIFICATION OF ACTIVITIES REGARDING 
              AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES ON WOMEN.

    Section 409E of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 284i) is 
amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections 
        (e) and (f), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following 
        subsection:
    ``(d) Certain Activities Regarding Women.--With respect to the plan 
under paragraph (1) of subsection (c), the Coordinating Committee shall 
ensure that provisions of the plan developed under paragraph (2) of 
such subsection include provisions for the following:
            ``(1)(A) Basic research, epidemiological research, and 
        other appropriate research concerning the etiology and causes 
        of autoimmune diseases in all women, including genetic, 
        hormonal, and environmental factors.
            ``(B)(i) Giving priority under subparagraph (A) to research 
        regarding environmental factors.
            ``(ii) The coordination of (to the extent practicable and 
        appropriate), and providing additional support for, research 
        described in clause (i) that is conducted by public or 
        nonprofit private entities.
            ``(2)(A) The development of information and education 
        programs for patients, health care providers, and others as 
        appropriate on genetic, hormonal, and environmental risk 
        factors associated with autoimmune diseases in women, and on 
        the importance of the prevention or control of such risk 
        factors and timely referral with appropriate diagnosis and 
        treatment.
            ``(B) The inclusion in programs under subparagraph (A) of 
        information and education on the prevalence and nature of 
        autoimmune diseases, on risk factors in women, and on health-
        related behaviors that can improve health status.
            ``(3) Outreach programs for purposes of paragraphs (1) and 
        (2) that--
                    ``(A) are directed toward historically underserved 
                populations of women, such as lower-income and minority 
                women, and toward women who are at-risk for autoimmune 
                diseases; and
                    ``(B) are carried out through community health 
                centers or other health centers under section 330, 
                through State or local health departments, or through 
                primary care physicians.''.
                                 <all>