[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 44 (Wednesday, April 20, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 20, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                        THE HEALTH RESEARCH ACT

                                 ______


                         HON. WILLIAM J. COYNE

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 20, 1994

  Mr. COYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Health Research 
Act of 1994. I am pleased that Representatives Richardson, Upton, 
McDermott, Cooper, Frank, Durbin, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Leach, Harold 
Ford, Underwood and Moran are original cosponsors of this measure. This 
legislation creates a national fund for health research. Senators 
Harkin and Hatfield introduced the companion package to this in that 
body.
  Medical research is one of the great success stories of our health 
care system today. This research has produced remarkable results which 
have improved the quality of millions of lives and have saved billions 
of dollars. When First Lady Hillary Clinton testified before the Ways 
and Means Committee last September I asked her about additional funds 
for NIH research. Mrs. Clinton commented'' * * * if we can get a steady 
stream of funding into our research institutions, we are likely to save 
money again in the long run by finding cures and by making other 
decisions that will enhance health.''
  The National Institutes of Health [NIH], the leading research group 
in the world, has played a critical role in promoting new technologies 
that reduce health care costs. In a recent report, NIH estimated that 
at least $9 billion could be saved in medical costs for just $4.3 
billion invested in research. Some projects that help realize these 
savings include: Discovery of a bacteria that causes ulcers which can 
be treated with an antibiotic which could save as much as $816 million 
a year in treatment costs; the National Institute of Allergy and 
Infections Diseases developed a treatment for neonatal herpes which 
will reduce premature mortality and severe neurological handicaps, 
potentially saving as much as $183 million a year in therapy costs; the 
National Institute on Aging and the National Heart, Lung and Blood 
Institute has found that screening and medication could reduce strokes 
and heart attacks for elderly patients with hypertension which will 
save as much as $48.5 million in treatment costs each year. Also, since 
a University of Pittsburgh study found that tonsillectomies are not 
needed in the majority of cases, utilization of this procedure 
decreased 50 percent, saving as much as $401 million a year in 
treatment costs.
  The legislation I am introducing today with colleagues establishes a 
medical research fund to provide an additional $5 billion a year for 
NIH. It would be financed by a phased-in 1-percent set-aside from each 
health insurance premium as well as proceeds from a check off on 
Federal income tax forms. Ultimately, these two measures would increase 
NIH funds by 50 percent.
  This additional money comes at a time when it is badly needed. Over 
the last 10 years, funding for approved NIH grants has fallen below 25 
percent. In fact, the NIH is only funding 1 in every 5 meritorious 
grants. Unfortunately, medical research is on the brink of life-saving 
and life-improving cures. For example, researchers recently found that 
colon cancer is linked to a genetic flaw in as many as 1 in 7 cases and 
this month NIH researchers found the enzyme that causes human cancer. 
These researchers believe that within 2 years they may be able to start 
testing a drug that will block this enzyme in susceptible patients. 
This sort of breakthrough, if confirmed, could save millions in medical 
treatments--as well as eliminate the human suffering associated with 
cancer therapy.

  Increasing funds for the NIH with regard to health care reform has 
broad based public support. Recently, Research! America and a Louis 
Harris poll demonstrated that people are willing to pay more for 
research. The poll shows that 9 out of 10 Americans believe that this 
Nation should spend more on medical research and 77 percent are willing 
to spend $1 more per week in insurance premiums to pay for it. Further, 
the Medial Research Fund proposal is supported by over 200 national 
organizations representing patients, providers, researchers, the 
elderly and veterans. It is also supported by former Surgeon General C. 
Everett Koop and numerous Nobel Prize winners.
  President Clinton has developed legislation that will reform the 
present health care system. One of his goals is to contain costs. 
Funding medical research is an excellent means to meet this objective. 
Research aids in the prevention and cure of disease. It has brought us 
from the iron lung to the polio vaccine; from inpatient invasive 
surgery to outpatient laser surgery; and from long-term hospitalization 
and death from many forms of cancer to screening tests for cancer of 
the colon, breast and prostate.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in this bipartisan effort to improve 
the quality of American lives. I submit a copy of a letter from former 
Surgeon General C. Everett Koop for the Record.
  Mr. Speaker, the House has an opportunity to ensure that health care 
reform addresses the needs of both Americans living today and future 
generations. This proposal secures adequate funding for the NIH and 
will bolster medical research efforts to eliminate diseases which 
continue to confront our society.
                                     National Museum of Health and


                                          Medicine Foundation,

                                   Washington, DC, April 19, 1994.
     Hon. William J. Coyne,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Coyne: I was pleased to learn that you and 
     your House Colleagues, Congressmen Richardson and Upton, are 
     joining together to introduce legislation which would 
     guarantee continued support for the medical research which is 
     critical to our nation's health.
       In the challenging debate over how to arrive at a 
     healthcare system which works, it is vitally important that 
     policymakers be reminded of the central role of medical 
     research in our nation's health history and future. The great 
     advances made in treatment and prevention of countless 
     diseases and disorders have not come by accident. They have 
     resulted from medical research, and this research has been 
     accomplished only through a commitment of necessary 
     resources. The commitment of those resources, I am certain, 
     must be a part of any serious healthcare reform initiative.
       The fund created through the Coyne-Richardson-Upton 
     initiative is the first effort to provide the funding, 
     through healthcare reform, for the research upon which future 
     disease prevention and primary health services will be based. 
     It is an intelligent, progressive proposal for which I am 
     pleased to lend my strong support.
           Sincerely,
     C. Everett Koop, M.D.

                          ____________________