New Bill to Advance Research in Autoimmune Diseases Like Lupus

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

A new HR Bill 6218 has been introduced to Congress by U.S. Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle (R-NY) that would be good news for lupus as one of the many autoimmune diseases. The bill would create an interdepartmental autoimmune disease coordinating committee including the Assistant Secretary of Health, the Commissioner of Food and Drugs and the Director of the National Institutes of Health among others. Its purpose would be to assess national progress on autoimmune disease research, update the national strategic plan, and make recommendations that could possibly be used to develop a national curriculum on autoimmune disease.  A member-at-large of the LRI’s Scientific Advisory Board, Dr. Betty Diamond, is quoted applauding the legislation for its potential to advance “a coordinated approach to these diseases that in composite affect so many Americans.”

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