[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 13082]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   INTRODUCING THE ARTHRITIS PREVENTION, CONTROL AND CURE ACT OF 2004

                                 ______
                                 

                   HON. CHARLES W. ``CHIP'' PICKERING

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 17, 2004

  Mr. PICKERING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Arthritis 
Prevention, Control, and Cure Act of 2004.
  The prevalence of chronic diseases in the U.S. has become the most 
significant public health problem of our current day. It is estimated 
that by the year 2020, 157 million Americans will suffer from some 
chronic illness. Whether it is asthma, diabetes, heart disease or 
arthritis, these conditions are costly to our health care system and 
erode quality of life.
  With more than 100 different forms, arthritis is one of the most 
widespread and devastating conditions in the United States. Nearly 70 
million, or one in every three, American adults suffers from arthritis 
or chronic joint symptoms, and nearly 300,000 children live with the 
pain, disability and emotional trauma caused by juvenile arthritis. In 
some cases, the disease causes deformity, blindness and even death. As 
the number one cause of disability in the United States, arthritis is a 
painful and debilitating chronic disease affecting men, women and 
children alike--arthritis has no boundaries. Simple, daily tasks like 
brushing teeth, pouring a cup of coffee and even just getting out of 
bed become excruciating obstacles for millions of people with the 
disease.
  The costs associated with arthritis are immense. The disease results 
in 750,000 hospitalizations, 44 million outpatient visits and 4 million 
days of hospital care every year. The estimated total costs of 
arthritis in the U.S., including lost productivity exceeds $86 billion.
  Arthritis is an overwhelming and debilitating hardship for countless 
families. While the current impact of the disease is quite astounding, 
there is much that can be done to prevent and control arthritis. 
Despite myths that inaccurately portray this illness as an old persons' 
disease, some forms of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis, can be 
prevented with weight control and other precautions. More broadly, the 
pain and disability accompanying all types of arthritis can be 
minimized through early diagnosis and appropriate disease management.
  The goal of this legislation is to lessen the burden of arthritis and 
other rheumatic diseases on citizens across our Nation, like my 
constituent, Alfred Price of Brandon, Mississippi. Mr. Price has 
suffered from rheumatoid arthritis for more than 49 years and has shown 
me over the years the damaging effects of the disease to his body.
  In recent years, increasing effective research into the prevention 
and treatment of arthritis has led to measures that successfully reduce 
pain and improve the quality of life for millions who suffer with this 
disease. Cooperative efforts at every level have led to the development 
of a National Arthritis Action Plan, with emphasis on public health 
strategies to make timely information and medical care much more widely 
available across the country. This legislation would develop a National 
Arthritis Education and Outreach Campaign to educate health-care 
professionals and the public on successful self-management strategies 
for controlling arthritis.
  To ensure greater coordination and intensification of federal 
research efforts, this legislation would create a National Arthritis 
and Rheumatic Diseases Summit to look at challenges and opportunities 
related to arthritis research within all the agencies of the Department 
of Health and Human Services.
  For the 300,000 children who are affected by this disease, this 
legislation expands and intensifies research for juvenile arthritis at 
the National Institutes of Health through the creation of planning 
grants for innovative research. It also creates incentives to encourage 
health professionals to enter the field of pediatric rheumatology 
through the establishment of education loan repayment and career 
development award programs. These incentives would help to address the 
severe shortage of these specialists in our country, so that all 
children will have greater access to physicians trained in state-of-
the-art care for arthritis.
  Mr. Speaker, we need to make the necessary investments in the fight 
against arthritis--our nation's number one cause of disability. This 
legislation will improve the quality of life for large numbers of 
adults and children and avoid thousands of dollars in medical costs for 
each patient. I urge all my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to 
support this legislation and enact it in a timely manner so millions of 
Americans, like Mr. Price, can live life with more hope and less pain.

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