[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 340 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 340

  Expressing the sense of the Congress with respect to the effective 
  treatment of and access to care for individuals with psoriasis and 
              psoriatic arthritis, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 14, 2006

 Mr. Gerlach submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the Congress with respect to the effective 
  treatment of and access to care for individuals with psoriasis and 
              psoriatic arthritis, and for other purposes.

Whereas psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are serious, chronic, inflammatory, 
        disfiguring, and life-altering diseases that require sophisticated 
        medical intervention and care;
Whereas, according to the National Institutes of Health, between 5.8 and 7.5 
        million Americans are affected by psoriasis;
Whereas psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are painful and disabling diseases 
        with no cure that have a significant and adverse impact on the quality 
        of life of an individual diagnosed with either of these diseases;
Whereas studies have found that psoriasis may cause as much physical and mental 
        disability as other major diseases, including cancer, arthritis, 
        hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and depression;
Whereas studies have found that psoriasis is associated with elevated rates of 
        depression and suicidal ideation;
Whereas each year the people of the United States spend between $2 billion and 
        $3 billion to treat psoriasis;
Whereas early diagnosis and treatment of psoriatic arthritis may help prevent 
        irreversible joint damage;
Whereas treating psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis presents a challenge for 
        patients and their health care providers because no one treatment works 
        for everyone, some treatments lose effectiveness over time, many 
        treatments are used in combination with other treatments, and all 
        treatments may cause a unique set of side effects;
Whereas while new, more effective and safer treatments finally are becoming 
        available, too many people do not yet have access to the treatments that 
        may make a significant difference in the quality of their lives; and
Whereas the Congress as an institution, and Members of the Congress as 
        individuals, are in unique positions to help raise public awareness 
        about the need for increased access to and effective treatment of 
        psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and the need for additional funding 
        for research on psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) the Director of the National Institutes of Health and 
        the Director of the National Institute of Arthritis and 
        Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases should continue to take a 
        leadership role in the identification of a cure and the 
        development of safer, more effective treatments for psoriasis 
        and psoriatic arthritis through the expansion of genetic, 
        clinical, and basic research focusing on understanding the 
        cellular and molecular mechanisms of these diseases, as well as 
        the extension of efforts to understand co-morbidities such as 
        obesity and hypertension that are associated with inflammation 
        in the skin and joints; and
            (2) the Secretary of Health and Human Services should 
        convene, by August 2006, which is Psoriasis Awareness Month, a 
        special panel to study--
                    (A) the availability of treatments and care for 
                individuals with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis;
                    (B) the ability of individuals with psoriasis and 
                psoriatic arthritis to access the prescription 
                therapies appropriate for their disease state and 
                condition; and
                    (C) such a special panel should make 
                recommendations to the Congress by February 2007 
                regarding how to improve access to care for individuals 
                with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
                                 <all>