[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 75 (Wednesday, May 7, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3894-S3900]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. MURRAY (for herself and Mr. Domenici):
  S. 2989. A bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
to implement a National Neurotechnology Initiative, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, it is estimated that 199 million 
Americans--or one in three--suffer from some kind of brain or nervous 
system illness, injury or disorder. Among these illnesses are 
debilitating diseases and conditions, including: Alzheimer's, multiple 
sclerosis, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and traumatic brain injury. 
These diseases are challenging for the patients and for their loved 
ones, who often have intense caretaker burdens.
  In addition, our men and women fighting overseas are suffering from 
these conditions in record numbers. The signature injuries of the 
current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan are brain and spinal cord 
injuries, such as traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress 
disorder, and paralysis. For example, it is estimated that as many as 
12 percent to 20 percent of servicemembers who have served in Iraq 
suffer from PTSD alone.
  The combined economic burden of these illnesses and disorders is 
estimated at $1 trillion annually--and this cost is rising quickly as 
our population ages and our military conflicts continue. Recent 
discoveries are revolutionizing our understanding of the human brain, 
and new uses for these discoveries are emerging almost every day. At 
the same time, researchers still have a limited understanding of the 
human brain and how best to diagnose, treat, and cure its diseases. The 
current research system for neurological diseases is disjointed and 
often limits this life altering research from reaching the patients in 
need. For example, compared to the average drug, it costs nearly $100 
million more--and takes 2 years longer--to bring a drug that treats a 
neurological disease to the market.
  We need a targeted, coordinated, national effort to support the 
development of neurotechnology. It is vitally important that public 
infrastructure be developed to ensure that today's neurotechnology 
discoveries quickly become tools to improve the human condition. This 
research has the potential to transform highly specialized areas of 
medicine, computing, and defense. It could dramatically change 
Americans' everyday lives.
  The National Neurotechnology Initiative Act addresses each of these 
issues. I am proud to be an original cosponsor with my colleague from 
New Mexico. Under this proposal, the National Institutes of Health 
would receive funds to coordinate research and

[[Page S3900]]

move research into innovative companies developing the next generation 
of treatments.
  This legislation will also accelerate research and treatment of 
neurological diseases by removing key bottlenecks in the system. It 
will coordinate neurological research across Federal agencies, create a 
coordinated blueprint for neuroscience at the NIH, and streamline the 
FDA approval process for life changing neuro drugs--without sacrificing 
safety. All of this will mean more treatments faster for millions of 
Americans.
  This act is an investment in America's neurological health. 
Investigation into the mechanisms and functions of the brain will lead 
to vastly improved understanding of brain disease and injuries and 
human behavior. It will give us an unprecedented ability to treat and 
heal those in need. The act also will dramatically reduce healthcare 
costs while expanding the American neurotechnology industry and 
creating good American jobs. Finally, this bill will help us honor our 
debt to the brave men and women of America's armed forces.
  Today, I am proud to introduce this legislation with Senator 
Domenici. I thank him for his leadership on this issue, and I look 
forward to working with him and my other colleagues to pass this 
important legislation.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I rise today to join my colleague, 
Senator Murray, to introduce the National Neurotechnology Initiative 
Act of 2008. Our bill will coordinate and accelerate federal brain and 
nervous system research, and will help move that research from the 
laboratory into the hands of patients.
  It is estimated that approximately 100 million Americans--one in 
three--suffer from some kind of neurological illness, disorder, or 
injury. These include some of the most debilitating illnesses, such as 
Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, autism, 
schizophrenia, and stroke. They include issues with a neurological 
basis that often goes unnoticed, such as obesity and hearing loss. They 
also include issues of particular importance to Senator Murray and me: 
traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, post-traumatic stress 
disorder, and other neurological effects suffered by the brave men and 
women of our armed forces as they execute their missions throughout the 
world.
  The total economic burden of these neurological illnesses, disorders, 
and injuries is estimated to be more than one trillion dollars every 
year. These costs include direct medical treatment, long-term care for 
senior citizens who have been incapacitated by a neurological disease, 
addiction-related costs, secondary medical costs related to obesity, 
and so on.
  As the baby boom generation ages, the cost associated with these 
illnesses will increase rapidly, straining our healthcare resources 
even further than they already are. Now is the time to act to promote 
the development of diagnostics, treatments, and cures that will restore 
health and reduce costs.
  Our armed forces too often suffer from a traumatic brain injury, 
which is among the primary types of casualty that disables our service 
members. Some soldiers also suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder 
as well. We owe it to these heroic warriors to help them heal as 
quickly and as completely as possible.
  The National Neurotechnology Initiative Act is designed to address 
four key issues currently slowing the development of neurological 
treatments, and to rapidly accelerate R&D for only three percent of the 
annual NIH brain research budget. The first is a lack of coordination 
between the many agencies that conduct brain research. The bill creates 
a coordinating office that will help ensure that the Department of 
Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Institutes of 
Health, and other agencies know what every other agency is doing, and 
that they work together toward common goals.
  The second issue is insufficient coordination within the National 
Institutes of Health. Sixteen different Institutes, Centers, and 
offices within NIH conduct research on the brain and nervous system, 
and they have begun to work together through a program called the 
Blueprint for Neuroscience Research. This bill authorizes and fully 
funds that program.
  The third issue is the need to translate basic research into 
treatments. Advances in neurotechnology are useless if they merely sit 
in the lab. This bill boosts neuroscience-related technology transfer 
through the SBIR and STTR programs.
  The fourth issue is regulatory approval of new neurotechnology drugs, 
diagnostics, and devices. Brain-related treatments take much longer and 
cost much more to approve than other treatments. This bill will 
increase the timeliness and safety of the neurotechnology review 
process by allowing the FDA to hire and train neuroscience experts and 
to work with industry to develop neurotechnology standards.
  The bill also supports the analysis of societal implications of 
neuroscience and neurotechnology, so that we know we are proceeding 
thoughtfully and carefully in our research.
  Brain and nervous system research is an issue that has been extremely 
important to me throughout my time in the Senate. I have long been a 
supporter of the MIND Research Network, which does amazing work on 
these issues in New Mexico; and I have worked hard to advance our 
ability to treat and cure brain and nervous system diseases and 
disorders. I hope that this legislation will be part of my legacy in 
this area.
  I want to thank my good friend Senator Murray for asking me to join 
her on this very important issue. I appreciate her commitment to 
advancing this important research and I look forward to working with 
her to pass this legislation this Congress.
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