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Managing America: Health

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Week Ending October 19, 2007

H.R.1727 To enhance and further research into paralysis and to improve rehabilitation and the quality of life for persons living with paralysis and other physical disabilities, and for other purposes.

Known as the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act, the bill amends the Public Health Service Act to allow the National Institute of Health to expand and coordinate NIH activities on paralysis research. The bill authorizes grants to plan, establish and provide operating support for the research consortia, disseminate information, endeavor in research to enhance to daily function for persons with paralysis and to provide basic operating support for multi-center clinical trial networks to design clinical rehab protocols and to measure the outcome of paralysis.

Grant recipients will be conducting basic and clinical paralysis research, may focus on advancing treatments and developing therapies in paralysis research, may focus on one or more forms of paralysis from central nervous system trauma or stroke, may facilitate and enhance the dissemination of clinical and scientific findings and may replicate the findings of consortia members for scientific and translational purposes.

Research into improving the daily life of paralysis patients will benefit from grants to pay all or part of the costs of planning, establishing, improving and providing basic operating support to multi-center network of clinical sites that will collaborate to design clinical rehab intervention protocols and measure the outcomes on one or more forms of paralysis that result from central nervous system trauma, trauma or stroke. The research will focus on improving functional mobility, promoting behavioral adaptation to functional losses, assessing efficacy and outcomes of medical rehab therapies and practices, developing improved assistive technology towards better patient independence and understanding whole body system responses to physical impairments, disabilities, and societal and functional limitations.

Grants will also be made for the purpose of improving patient care and integrating the patient fully into society. Grants can be used for increasing caregiver education and physical activity of the patient, education and awareness programs for health care providers, prevention of secondary complications, home and community-based interventions, coordinating services and removing barriers that prevent full participation and integration into the community and recognizing the unique needs of underserved populations.

A report is due Congress in December 2008 on progress and the future of the program.

Sponsor:  Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI-2^nd)

Vote: Passed House by voice vote October 15, 2007

Cost to the taxpayers: Cost data forthcoming

Earmark Certification:   Not applicable to this bill.

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