March 18, 2008

ATS Joins Patient Groups in Call for Increased Research Funding

On March 12, the ATS Research Advocacy Committee (RAC), chaired by Judith Neubauer, Ph.D., held another successful joint Advocacy Day with the ATS Public Advisory Roundtable (PAR), chaired by Donna Appell, in Washington, D.C. At the annual partnership event, ATS physicians and researchers joined together with patient representatives to influence federal public policy specifically on health research.

Nearly 20 RAC/PAR members participated in over 25 scheduled meetings with House and Senate offices. The RAC/PAR representatives sought support from their members of Congress on the following 3 legislative issues:

1. Support for increased funding for the NIH, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;
2. Support for the creation of a national coverage policy for pulmonary rehabilitation services under Medicare;
3. Support for alleviating the shortage of critical care specialists through new legislation.

Participating PAR representatives included: Judith Simpson with the Pulmonary Hypertension Association; Beth Stern, Exec. Director with the Lungevity Foundation; Edward Grandi, Exec. Director with the American Sleep Apnea Foundation; Gregory Porta, President of the Children’s Interstitial Lung Disease Foundation; Paula Polite, Past President of the Sarcoidosis Research Institute; Theresa Geiger, Vice President of Advocacy with the Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis; Karen Fulton, President/CEO of the American Lung Association of the East Bay; Jason Ranville, Public Policy Coordinator with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and John Walsh, President of the Alpha One Foundation

Research

ATS Testifies Before House Appropriations Subcommittee on NIOSH

On March 13, ATS member James K. Brown, MD, testified before the House Appropriations Labor-Health and Human Services and Education Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Obey (D-WI), on behalf of the Friends of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) concerning the agency's budget for Fiscal Year 2009. NIOSH is the primary federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related illness and injury. In his testimony, Dr. Brown recommended a $50 million funding increase for NIOSH to enable the agency to keep pace with the changing nature of work and ensure that research and education to prevent work-related disease and injuries remain a high priority. Dr. Brown's testimony was very well-received by subcommittee chair Rep. Obey, who voiced his continued strong support for NIOSH’s work.

ATS Testifies Before House Appropriations Subcommittee on VA Funding

Also on March 13, ATS member James K. Brown, MD, testified before the House Appropriations Committee’s Military Construction-Veterans Administration and Related Agencies Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Edwards (D-TX), on behalf of the Friends of VA Medical Care and Health Research on the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical and Prosthetic Research Program’s budget for Fiscal Year 2009. In his testimony, Dr. Brown emphasized that significant growth in the VA research program’s budget is needed for the program to continue to achieve breakthroughs in health care for the current population of veterans and to develop new ways for addressing the health care needs of new veterans. In his testimony, Dr. Brown recommended an appropriation of $555 million for the VA research program in 2009, which was favorably received by subcommittee chair Rep. Edwards and other subcommittee members.

Clean Air

EPA Announces Final Ozone Standard

Last week, EPA Administrator Johnson announced a new, stricter standard for the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ozone of 0.075 ppm/8-hours, replacing the old standard of 0.084 ppm. The ATS and sister organizations had advocated for a stricter standard of 0.060 ppm/8-hours.

While the EPA’s announcement is a small but welcome step forward in protecting the nation from the adverse effects of ozone pollution, it appears to come with a price. In announcing the new standard, EPA Administrator Johnson is calling for an overhaul of the Clean Air Act – essentially asking Congress to change the legislation from its health-based principles. The Administrator is proposing changes to the Clean Air Act to meet the following 4 principles:

1. Must protect the public health and improve the overall well-being of our citizens.
2. Should allow decision-makers to consider benefits, costs, risk tradeoffs, and feasibility in making decisions about how to clean the air.
3. Should provide greater accountability and effective enforcement to ensure not only paper requirements but also air quality requirements are met, especially in areas with the furthest to go in meeting our standards.
4. Should allow the schedule for addressing NAAQS standards to be driven by the available science and the prioritization of health and environmental concerns, taking into account the multi-pollutant nature of air pollution.

The proposed revision of the Clean Air Act will require Congressional action, which may be unlikely prospect in this Congress. The ATS will share its concerns about the proposed changes to the Clean Air Act with Congress.

Tuberculosis

ATS Co-Hosts World TB Day Briefing

Last week, ATS member Payam Nahid, MD, spoke on behalf of the ATS at a briefing for congressional staff sponsored by the Global Health Council, Aeras Global Vaccine Foundation and the ATS to commemorate World TB Day. Dr. Nahid gave a comprehensive overview of global TB prevalence, including the U.S. TB rate, the causes of the global TB burden, prevalence of drug resistant TB and costs of treating drug resistance. The briefing’s additional speakers were Thomas Kenyon, Principal Deputy in the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, who discussed HIV – TB coinfection, and Sylvie Kwedie, Dep. Director of Clinical Operations for Aeras, who spoke about Aeras’s vaccine clinical trials in Africa and India

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