Action alert before Congress for IBS

[Guest guest]

Some of you might be interested in calling your congress people to sign on to thislegislation:http://www.iffgd.org/site/advocacy/legislative-alerts/action#natlresNational Research and Treatment ActPlease contact your Members of Congress and urge them to become original cosponsors of the IBS and Functional GI Disorders Research and Treatment Act. The IBS and Functional GI Disorders (FGIDs) Research and Treatment Act is an invaluable piece of legislation to the IBS/FGID patient community which would:Expand the research portfolio for IBS and FGIDs at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and improve coordination of research activities conducted by other entities at the National Institutes of Health. Establish a data system to gain a better understanding of patient populations and identify at risk individuals.Establish the development and operation of centers to conduct research and training to health care providers on IBS and FGIDs.Establish an IBS and FGIDs information clearinghouse to improve public awareness and professional understanding.Provide support for training new investigators who specialize in IBS and FGIDs.Facilitate creation and implementation of a guidance document by the FDA for industry regarding the development of treatments, and the consequences of adverse events that may occur during post-market surveillance. To me, expanding the research portfolio sounds good as well as increasing professional understanding. Some of the rest of it though, sounds like it could adda lot of bureaucratic red tape - like a guidance document by the FDA regarding the development of treatments - I could see that getting really problematic - if doctors and insurance all insist you stick to the letter of the kind oftreatment they propose, especially with national health care on the horizon. I think it could be used by some doctors to curtail freedoms. We've already heard stories from some people about doctors who are mini-tyrants in this kind of way. So my reaction to it is mixed, FWIW,Mara