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Psoriasis Cure Now applauds U.S. House of Representatives for its historic support for psoriasis research
(June 22, 2005) Psoriasis Cure Now, a patient advocacy group based in our nation’s capital, today applauded the U.S. House of Representatives for including its strongest language ever in support of increased federal research on psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. The Report language, released today by the House Committee on Appropriations, was crafted by a bipartisan group of Members of Congress working in close consultation with Psoriasis Cure Now, and followed April testimony by Psoriasis Cure Now’s President before the Committee’s Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies.
“This is a great day for every American with psoriasis,” said Michael Paranzino, president of Psoriasis Cure Now. “The House Appropriations Committee has expressed its strong support for increasing research on psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, painful and often debilitating diseases that affect as many as 7.5 million Americans. We are grateful that the House Appropriations Committee has included this historic language in its Report.”
Psoriasis is an incurable, recurring disease of the immune system that can first strike at any age, causing dry, painful skin lesions that can crack, bleed and itch. Many people with psoriasis also have psoriatic arthritis, a chronic, progressive and debilitating inflammatory disease that often causes joint pain, stiffness and swelling, as well as bone damage. The Report, issued by Subcommittee Chairman Ralph Regula to accompany the annual Labor-HHS Appropriations bill, includes separate language urging the Office of the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as well as its National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, its National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), and its National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD) all to undertake or increase research on psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. While NIAMS has been conducting excellent psoriasis research for years, this new language encourages other Institutes and Centers within NIH to join the battle against this complex and costly disease, while urging NIAMS to increase its focus on psoriasis.
“Chairman Regula’s close questioning of me at the Congressional Hearing was an encouraging sign that the Committee would support us,” Paranzino added. “He said at that Hearing that his Subcommittee could be called the ‘Hope Committee,’ and he is right. Today, millions of Americans have renewed hope for themselves and their loved ones that we will someday cure psoriasis. On behalf of all psoriasis patients and their families, we thank Chairman Regula, Ranking Member Dave Obey, and all the members who worked on this bipartisan effort to help people with psoriasis. We look forward to working with NIH and the world’s leading psoriasis researchers to implement this Congressional language. Finally, we look forward to continuing our close work with Senators from both parties to see that the same strong language appears in the Senate Report later this summer.”
The psoriasis Report language is available here.
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