[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 610 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 610

 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to 
the level of funding provided to the National Institutes of Health for 
          carrying out the Autoimmune Diseases Research Plan.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 28, 2004

    Mr. Lynch (for himself and Mr. Tiahrt) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to 
the level of funding provided to the National Institutes of Health for 
          carrying out the Autoimmune Diseases Research Plan.

Whereas the National Institutes of Health (NIH) established the Autoimmune 
        Diseases Coordinating Committee (ADCC), upon Congress' recommendation, 
        to foster coordination and collaboration on autoimmune disease research;
Whereas, through amendments made by the Children's Health Act of 2000, the 
        Congress authorized appropriations for NIH's preparation of a 
        comprehensive Autoimmune Diseases Research Plan (ADRP);
Whereas the ADRP provides an integrated plan to elucidate the common underlying 
        mechanisms of autoimmune disease and to exploit this knowledge for the 
        development of better treatments and eventual cures;
Whereas NIH submitted the ADRP to Congress in January 2003, after review and 
        approval by the NIH Director and the Secretary of Health and Human 
        Services;
Whereas the ADRP provides for, as appropriate (1) research to determine the 
        reasons underlying the incidence and prevalence of the autoimmune 
        diseases; (2) basic research concerning the etiology and causes of 
        autoimmune disease; (3) epidemiological studies to address the frequency 
        and natural history of the autoimmune diseases, including any 
        differences between the sexes and among racial and ethnic groups; (4) 
        the development of improved screening techniques; (5) clinical research 
        for the development and evaluation of new treatments, including new 
        biological agents; and (6) information and education programs for health 
        care professionals and the public;
Whereas the ADRP establishes that (1) there are between 14 and 22 million people 
        in the United States afflicted with an autoimmune disease (about twice 
        as many as cancer); (2) the family of autoimmune diseases are 
        genetically interrelated and share etiological pathways; (3) autoimmune 
        disease in the aggregate is among the 10 leading causes of death in 
        women in all age groups from 15 to 64; (4) there are an estimated 
        240,000 new autoimmune disease cases annually; (5) current NIH funding 
        for autoimmune disease research is focused on only a fraction of the 
        approximately 80 known autoimmune diseases; and (6) current NIH 
        autoimmune disease research is spread across the NIH Institutes;
Whereas NIH has estimated the cost to treat autoimmune disease patients in the 
        United States is greater than $100 billion annually, and this is on the 
        order of cancer and heart disease treatment costs;
Whereas the direct effects of the disease and the side effects of 
        immunosuppressive drugs can be devastating to patients, and the burden 
        placed on the families and caregivers of autoimmune disease patients can 
        be enormous;
Whereas autoimmune diseases are chronic, with patients burdening the healthcare 
        system for decades;
Whereas treatment expenses are increasing as more effective but more expensive 
        immunosuppressive drugs enter the market;
Whereas the healthcare burden of autoimmune diseases will grow rapidly in the 
        future as a result of the growing number of patients and the increasing 
        costs for new treatments;
Whereas the Institute of Medicine (IOM) has studied the NIH organizational 
        structure and concluded that inter-Institute research is needed to 
        synergize research and thereby improve cost-effectiveness; and
Whereas the ADCC has been and continues to effectively promote collaboration 
        among the Institutes (as recommended by the IOM) on autoimmune disease 
        research, but on a limited basis due to lack of funding: Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
there should be an increase in the level of appropriations provided for 
carrying out the Autoimmune Diseases Research Plan established by the 
Autoimmune Diseases Coordinating Committee at the National Institutes 
of Health.
                                 <all>