Congressional resolution on autoimmune disease introduced

A Call for Action!

            Representatives Stephen Lynch (D-MA) and Todd Tiahrt (R-KS) introduced House Resolution 610 (HR 610), marking a major step forward in rallying support on Capitol Hill for a plan that will make a tremendous difference in the lives of the 14-22 million Americans who suffer from autoimmune disease. This resolution calls for funding of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Autoimmune Diseases Research Plan; a cause for celebration and a call for action on behalf of all of those who care about making progress understanding and treating autoimmune disease.  

            This resolution is so important because currently much less federal funding goes to investigating autoimmune disease than other health issues affecting the same or fewer numbers of people.  The Resolution demonstrates a growing commitment to fund research into autoimmunity. The NIH plan provides the first-ever comprehensive integrated plan for research on the family of more than 100 autoimmune diseases. The federal initiative is the culmination of work by a wide range of experts under the auspices of the NIH Autoimmune Diseases Coordinating Committee and includes input from federal health agencies, patient advocacy groups, medical and scientific experts around the country.  It focuses on investigation into the burden, cause, diagnosis, and treatment of autoimmune disease as well as on support for professional education and public awareness.

            The American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association and National Coalition of Autoimmune Patient Groups showcased the release of the NIH research plan in 2003 with its first Congressional Briefing on Autoimmune Disease.  A second gathering on Capitol Hill this March focused on increasing congressional support.  The more voices that join together to call for support of HR 610 to fund the NIH Autoimmune Diseases Research Plan, the greater the likelihood of an earlier and resounding success for implementation of the plan.

You can help! 

              Contact your U. S. Representative and request his or her support for the House Resolution 610. You can use e-mail or fax; if you prefer regular mail, your letter should be sent to your member's local office, not to Washington, D.C.  Always include your name and full home address so that your congressional member knows you are a constituent.  You can find your congressional members and their contact information by calling your local library or visiting www.aarda.org and clicking on "Congress Connect."  A sample letter is provided below and at www.pdsa.org/advocacy.htm. Remember to keep your message brief, state your request clearly, and add a few words about how autoimmune disease impacts your life.  Finally, watch for news of introduction of a similar Resolution in the Senate and be prepared to contact your Senators.

Sample Letter on House Resolution 610

The Honorable____________(insert name of Representative)
House of Representatives
Washington, DC  20515

Dear Representative_____________,

            I am requesting your support for House Resolution 610 (HR 610), cosponsored by Representatives Steven Lynch (D-MA) and Todd Tiahrt (R-KS).  This Resolution expresses the need to fund a federal research plan that is critical to my and my family's future and that of as many as 22 million Americans.  The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Autoimmune Diseases Research Plan is the first federal initiative to cover all autoimmune diseases and investigate them as an interrelated group.

            Autoimmune diseases encompass as many as 100 clinically distinct disorders, including multiple sclerosis, lupus, Sjögren's syndrome, autoimmune thyroid, immune thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP), myasthenia gravis, myositis, Wegener's granulomatosis, alopecia, psoriasis, and vitiligo.  These diseases devastate lives and cost an estimated $100 billion dollars a year.  Multiple autoimmune disorders often occur in individuals and in families.  In autoimmune diseases, the immune system goes awry and damages a patient's own body organs and system.  They are a common cause of disability and are one of the top ten leading causes of death in children and women in all age groups up to 64 years of age.

            Because these diseases cross many specialties and can affect all body organs, an integrated approach to research is critical.  The NIH research plan calls for such an approach.  The Resolution expresses the sense of Congress that this interrelated family of diseases deserves the integrated research proposed in the Autoimmune Diseases Research Plan.  Please add your support for this Research Plan, mandated by Congress, which provides a model for collaboration among specialists and Institutes and will lead to better treatments for and understanding about the entire family of autoimmune diseases.

            I greatly appreciate your support, and I look forward to hearing back from you.

Your full name
Home address
City, state, ZIP code
Phone number