To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for expanding, intensifying, and coordinating activities with respect to research on autoimmune diseases in women.

January 27, 2003

Mr. LYNCH (for himself, Ms. LEE, Ms. NORTON, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. FROST, Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD, Mr. SERRANO, and Mrs. CAPPS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for expanding, intensifying, and coordinating activities with respect to research on autoimmune diseases in women.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Women's Autoimmune Diseases Research and Prevention Act'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds as follows:

(1) The term `autoimmune disease' refers to a varied group of more than 80 serious, chronic illnesses that involve the human organ system, the nervous, gastrointestinal and endocrine systems, the skin and other connective tissues, eyes, and blood and blood vessels.

(2) These diseases include, but are not limited to, Epstein-Barr virus, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, multiple sclerosis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Graves' disease, and vasculitis syndromes.

(3) 50 million Americans are afflicted with some form of autoimmune disease.

(4) 75 percent of autoimmune diseases occur in women, most frequently during but not limited to the childbearing years.

(5) Taken together, autoimmune diseases represent the fourth largest cause of disability among women in the United States.

(6) Female-to-male ratios in autoimmune diseases are dramatically skewed toward women, in some cases by ratios as high as 50 to 1.

(7) Autoimmune diseases remain among the most poorly understood and poorly recognized of any category of illnesses; while science suggest they may have a genetic component, they can cluster in families as different illnesses.

(8) To help women live longer, healthier lives, more research is needed to shed light on genetic as well as hormonal and environmental risk factors that contribute to the causes of these diseases, as well as providing early diagnosis and treatment.

SEC. 3. EXPANSION AND INTENSIFICATION OF ACTIVITIES REGARDING AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES ON WOMEN.

Section 409E of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 284i) is amended--

(1) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections (e) and (f), respectively; and

(2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following subsection:

`(d) CERTAIN ACTIVITIES REGARDING WOMEN- With respect to the plan under paragraph (1) of subsection (c), the Coordinating Committee shall ensure that provisions of the plan developed under paragraph (2) of such subsection include provisions for the following:

`(1)(A) Basic research, epidemiological research, and other appropriate research concerning the etiology and causes of autoimmune diseases in all women, including genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors.

`(B)(i) Giving priority under subparagraph (A) to research regarding environmental factors.

`(ii) The coordination of (to the extent practicable and appropriate), and providing additional support for, research described in clause (i) that is conducted by public or nonprofit private entities.

`(2)(A) The development of information and education programs for patients, health care providers, and others as appropriate on genetic, hormonal, and environmental risk factors associated with autoimmune diseases in women, and on the importance of the prevention or control of such risk factors and timely referral with appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

`(B) The inclusion in programs under subparagraph (A) of information and education on the prevalence and nature of autoimmune diseases, on risk factors in women, and on health-related behaviors that can improve health status.

`(3) Outreach programs for purposes of paragraphs (1) and (2) that--

`(A) are directed toward historically underserved populations of women, such as lower-income and minority women, and toward women who are at-risk for autoimmune diseases; and

`(B) are carried out through community health centers or other health centers under section 330, through State or local health departments, or through primary care physicians.'.

END