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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. ======================================================== 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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn