Here are Parkinson's disease-related excerpts from the reports
accompanying fiscal year 2002 appropriations bills, as found at
http://thomas.loc.gov.

From the report to accompany Senate appropriations bill S.1536,
pages 184-5, in section pertaining to Office of the Director, NIH:

Parkinson’s disease.—In consultation with the extramural research
community, the NIH has developed a Parkinson’s Disease Research
Agenda that would require an estimated $1,000,000,000 increase in
funding over 5 years to carry out. It is the clear intent of the
Committee that the NIH seek to implement this research agenda, and
that the Office of the Director assume an aggressive leadership role
in this effort.

Last year, the Congress strongly urged the NIH to work toward
implementing Year 1 of the research agenda, which cited the need for
a $71,400,000 increase in Parkinson’s research funding. The Committee
is concerned that the NIH did not meet that goal. As a consequence,
much of the agenda remains to be undertaken, and this highly
promising field of research is not moving ahead as speedily as the
Congress intended.

An estimated $143,500,000 increase over the baseline year would be
needed to implement Year 2 of the research agenda, and the Committee
has provided additional funds for that purpose. In order to ensure
full implementation and funding, the Committee directs the NIH to
host a series of consortia in collaboration with the Parkinson’s
research-related Institutes and the extramural research community by
February 15, 2002. The consortia shall identify, to the full extent
of available scientific opportunity, the research needed to implement
the Research Agenda and the funding mechanism and dollars necessary
for each area. The Committee requests the Director to report by March
15, 2002, that the consortia have been held, and on the specific
steps the NIH will take to implement the Research Agenda.

The Committee commends the NIH for encouraging and supporting
workshops and other collaboration between sectors of the Parkinson’s
research community, including the NIEHS-supported consortia and the
NINDS-supported workshop on gene therapy, and encourages similar
collaborative models. The Committee also urges the NIH to continue
support of the Udall Centers program and to continue expansion
thereof.

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From the report to accompany House appropriations bill H.R.3061,
page 72, in section pertaining to NINDS:

Parkinson’s Disease.—NIH has developed a five-year Parkinson’s
Disease Research Agenda. The Committee urges NINDS to work toward
full implementation of this research agenda through all available
mechanisms, as appropriate, including research opportunities in the
development of stem cell therapy for neurodegenerative disorders,
related brain repair research that will develop the scientific
opportunity presented in this fast moving feld, and support for
consortia to involve the extramural research community in planning
and executing this initiative. The Committee commends NIH for
supporting workshops and other collaborations between sectors of the
Parkinson’s research community, including the workshop on gene
therapy, and encourages similar collaborative models. The Committee
is encouraged by the reference in the Parkinson’s Research agenda to
support translational research. The Committee also commends NINDS for
its efforts, through supplemental funding, workshop sponsorship and
other mechanisms, in developing the Morris K. Udall centers for
Parkinson’s Research as an important research resource and urges
continued support for these Centers for all authorized activities
including a clinical component.

From page 84, in section pertaining to NIEHS:

Parkinson’s Disease.—The Committee commends NIEHS for its leadership
in developing an important initiative in the environmental role in
the cause of Parkinson’s and related disorders, including gene-
environment interactions. There is hope that this initiative will
produce important information on the cause of Parkinson’s- rlated
syndromes and provide a model for understanding the environmental
role in other chronic and life-threatening disorders. The Committee
urges NIEHS to work toward full implementation of the Parkinson’s
Research Agenda through all available mechanisms, as appropriate.

From page 99, in section pertaining to Office of the Director, NIH:

Parkinson’s Disease.—NIH has developed a five-year Parkinson’s
Disease Research Agenda. To carry out the plan, the professional
judgment budget estimates call for increases over existing
Parkinson’s research of $143,400,000 in year two (fiscal year 2002).
The Committee strongly urges the Director to work toward the
implementation of the research agenda through all available
mechanisms, as appropriate, including hosting a consortium in
collaboration with the Parkinson’s research-related Institutes and
the extramural research community to identify the full extent of
available scientific opportunity and the research and funding needed
to implement the Research Agenda. The Committee requests that the
Director be prepared to provide a status report on the research
agenda at the fiscal year 2003 appropriations hearing.

The Committee commends NIH for encouraging and supporting workshops
and other collaborations between sectors of the Parkinson’s research
community, including the NIEHS-supported consortia and the NINDS-
supported workshop on gene therapy and encourages similar
collaborative models.

Phil Tompkins

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