 |
 |
The Honorable Rick Santorum United States Senate Washington, DC 20515 Dear Senator Santorum I seek your support for an action which will benefit the Parkinson's community's great need for increased research support. I ask you to co-sponsor the Morris K. Udall Parkinson's Research and Education Act. The bill was first introduced in the Senate and House on July 19, 1994 by its principal sponsors, Mark Hatfield and Henry Waxman. It was reintroduced this year on April 6, as S684 and HR1462. Parkinson's Disease is a progressive neurological disorder that destroys brain cells controlling motor function. Available treatment only partially alleviates the resulting stiffness, tremor and slowness of movement. Eventually it leaves its victims unable to walk, to talk, even to move. Parkinson's Disease patients may live a long time in this incapacitated state requiring extensive, expensive care. This contributes to the estimated $6 billion in direct and indirect costs per year to our society attributed to Parkinson's Disease. Meanwhile, U.S. support for direct Parkinson's research currently amounts to a mere $30 per year per patient, which is far less than most other diseases receive. What successful business would not invest $200 million per year for the short term to eliminate $6 billion per year in society costs? What better way to reduce the deficit than to eliminate $6 billion per year. I do not believe the American people in their mandate for change want slash and burn budget cutting. The vast majority of Americans would be pleased if our government were described as cost effect rather than some of the descriptors currently applied. This legislation is cost effective! This is unfair to the Parkinson's community, and it ignores a tremendous scientific opportunity. Scientists say they have the potential for major treatment advances, and maybe even a cure of Parkinson's, in this decade. But this will not happen without adequate research. How cruel it is for those who have Parkinson's Disease to know a cure is close at hand but may not be achieved for want of relatively modest funding . The Udall bill would authorize the necessary expansion of Parkinson's research through strengthening of the NIH research effort, establishment of a series of Parkinson's research centers nationwide, and other programs including Morris K. Udall Research Excellence Awards and feasibility study grants. Please do not allow our community to be ignored any longer. To restore our hope, and eliminate a huge economic burden on our government and economy, we ask that you add your name as a co-sponsor of the Udall bill. Thank you for your attention. Please respond at your earliest convenience. Sincerely,