[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 93 (Thursday, July 11, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1243]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         INTRODUCTION OF LIVER DISEASE RESEARCH ENHANCEMENT ACT

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                            HON. DAN MILLER

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 11, 2002

  Mr. DAN MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my 
colleague from Massachusetts, Mr. Lynch, to introduce legislation to 
improve treatment options for millions of Americans living with liver 
disease. The ``Liver Research Enhancement Act'' organizes and 
streamlines the efforts by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to 
combat liver disease by creating a comprehensive vision of how to fight 
this epidemic in our country. This bill establishes a National Center 
on Liver Research, which will work with a Liver Disease Advisory Board 
within the National Institutes of Health to construct a Liver Disease 
Research Action Plan. The national plan will help coordinate research 
currently administered by 14 different institutes and centers at the 
NIH. By prioritizing research goals, the NIH will be able to maximize 
its liver research.
  The need for liver research and an effective funding projection is 
critical to our Nation's health. At present, it is estimated that 
twenty-five million people in the United States suffer from a liver or 
liver-related disease. Every year as many as fifteen thousand children 
are hospitalized by their illness. The medical care for individuals 
with liver disease each year costs over 5.5 billion dollars annually. 
Over four million Americans are afflicted with Hepatitis C alone, a 
disease claiming ten thousand lives each year and with no vaccine 
available. Without the proper public health measures, that number is 
expected to rise to thirty thousand a year. At this time, the majority 
of cases of Hepatitis C have no effective treatments. In addition, a 
newly discovered liver disease related to obesity, nonalcoholic fatty 
liver disease (NAFLD) could touch one in every four adults in the 
United States. At the same time, the waiting list for liver transplants 
stretches over 17,500 patients, of which only 5,100 receive livers and 
1,300 die hoping for a transplant. The time has come to greatly improve 
liver research and preserve the public health for future generations.
  The Center on Liver Research, to be based in the National Institute 
of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, will provide the much-
needed leadership to ensure that the liver research opportunities are 
increased and that promising medical leads do not go unexplored. The 
Liver Disease Advisory Board will suggest future funding priorities and 
recognize underperforrnance as well as achievement in the field. The 
Center's first mission will be to make an action plan to deal with 
research to prevent, cure and treat liver disease in America. By 
establishing this unifying bond for the 14 different institutes 
involved in liver research, this bill will make liver research more 
effective and responsive to the needs of the liver community.
  I have enclosed letters from the American Liver Foundation and the 
Hepatitis Foundation International endorsing this bill.
  I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

                                    American Liver Foundation,

                                                    June 18, 2002.
     Hon. Dan Miller,
     Cannon House Office Bldg.,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Miller: The purpose of this letter is to 
     express, on behalf of the American Liver Foundation (ALF), 
     our strong support and enthusiasm for your leadership to 
     pursue enactment of the Liver Research Enhancement Act.
       As you know, approximately 10% of the population, or over 
     25,000,000 Americans, are afflicted with liver, bile duct or 
     gallbladder disease and over 4 million Americans have been 
     infected with hepatitis C. The CDC has projected that deaths 
     due to hepatitis C will more than triple by the year 2010 to 
     more than 30,000 deaths per year unless there are appropriate 
     research and public health interventions. Furthermore, due to 
     limited research, current treatments for hepatitis C are 
     effective in fewer than 50 percent of the cases. As such, 
     hepatitis C is a leading cause for liver transplants in the 
     United State, but the availability of liver transplants, as 
     you know, falls far short of the need. These are numerous 
     liver diseases other than hepatitis C such as primary bilary 
     cirrhosis affecting 15 out of every 100,000 Americans with 
     95% of the infected population being women. Finally, there is 
     an emerging obesity-related chronic liver disease, 
     nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), that may affect as 
     many as 1 in every 4 adults over the age of 18.
       Mr. Miller, your legislation to create a National Center on 
     Liver Disease Research at the National Institute of Diabetes 
     and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) will provide the 
     dedicated scientific leadership necessary to create an action 
     plan for liver disease research, and new authorities 
     necessary to help assure that the scientific opportunities 
     identified by the Liver Disease Research Action Plan are 
     adequately funded. The coordination and focus this Center 
     will provide for liver disease research will help increase 
     our ability to find better treatments and cures for the 
     millions of Americans inflicted with liver diseases.
       We thank you for your tireless leadership on this issue and 
     for all of your persistence in working to better the health 
     of the nation. We stand ready to support the passage of this 
     legislation.
           Sincerely,
     Paul D. Berk, MD,
       Chairman of the Board of Directors,
     Alan P. Brownstein, MPH,
       President and CEO.

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                           Hepatitis Foundation International,

                                                    June 26, 2002.
     Hon. Dan Miller,
     Cannon House Office Bldg., Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Miller: Hepatitis Foundation International 
     (HFI) would like to express our support for the Liver 
     Research Enhancement Act.
       As you know, approximately 10% of the nation's population 
     suffer from liver, bile duct, or gallbladder disease and over 
     4 million Americans have been infected with Hepatitis C. The 
     Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has 
     projected that deaths due to Hepatitis C will more than 
     triple by the year 2010 to more than 30,000 deaths per year 
     unless there are appropriate research and public health 
     interventions.
       Mr. Miller, your legislation to create a National Center on 
     Liver Disease Research at the National Institute of Diabetes 
     and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) will provide the 
     leadership necessary to create an action plan for liver 
     disease research. The coordination and focus of this Center 
     will help increase our ability to find better treatments and 
     cures for the millions of Americans suffering with liver 
     diseases.
       Thank you for your leadership on this issue and for your 
     persistence in working to better the health of all Americans. 
     We offer our support for the passage of this important 
     legislation.
           Sincerely,
                                                Thelma King Thiel,
                                               Chairwoman and CEO.





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