Sample Op/Ed
In 1997 the Congress overwhelmingly adopted the Morris K. Udall
Parkinson's Disease Research Act, historic legislation that authorized
the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to devote up to $100 million
per year for Parkinson's-focused research. To date that funding has
not been appropriated — despite promising research and a compelling
national need. Moreover, the NIH continues its disturbing practice of
reporting to Congress funding totals for Parkinson's that include a
significant amount of research — more than half! — that is not truly
focused on Parkinson's disease as required by the Udall Act.
Consistent, focused research efforts have yielded great progress for
diseases like cancer, breast cancer and AIDS. During this decade,
these diseases have all seen more than 98% of their total NIH research
funding go to direct research. To realize a cure, Parkinson's needs
and deserves the same proportion of direct research that NIH has
devoted to other serious diseases.
Congress must be pressured to act this year to follow through on the
promise of the Udall Act by adding to basic Parkinson's disease
research the NIH is already conducting, specifically funding increases
of $50 million for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and
Stroke and $25 million for the National Institute of Environment Health
Science in the fiscal year 2000 Labor/HHS Appropriations bill. To
provide the resources for these much needed increases, Congress must
support efforts to keep the NIH budget on track to double over five
years.
The symptoms of Parkinson's disease, or Parkinsonism (PD), result from
the degeneration of nerve cells in the mid-brain, and the corresponding
loss of the neurotransmitting chemical dopamine produced by those
cells. Parkinson's destroys physical movement, coordination and
speech, and ultimately leaves its victims incapable of caring for
themselves. [Insert personal anecdotes]
Parkinson's does not discriminate — it afflicts people regardless of
gender, race, background, behavior, lifestyle or geographic area lived
in. Despite the common perception that Parkinson's is an "old
person's" disease, the average age of diagnosis is 57 years, with many
diagnosed in their 30s and even 20s; yet due to the debilitating nature
of the disease, the Parkinson's community has been largely invisible to
the public and the government.
There are over one million Americans living with Parkinson's and its
related disorders.
60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year — one every nine minutes.
The annual costs (health care, disability, loss of productivity,
long-term care, etc.) associated with Parkinson's total $25 billion — a
cost that will only increase as the Baby Boom generation ages.
Parkinson's also robs people of their lives and their ability to
contribute fully to their family, community and country. Medications
and currently available surgical therapies are also very expensive.
Tremendous research potential exists in several areas, including
neuroprotective agents, improved stimulation devices, cell replacement,
and bioengineering of cells. But this potential can only be translated
into improved therapies, treatments and potential cures if there is
adequate federal support for Parkinson's research.
The Udall Act calls for $100 million in "research focused on
Parkinson's disease" because focusedresearch yields results.
Researchers are tantalizingly close to the cure, but finding it in time
for those currently suffering requires additional funding. Time is not
neutral for people with Parkinson's — the disease is progressive,
chronic and absolutely relentless — and people with Parkinson's can't
afford to wait any longer.
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