Kucinich Amendment Increases Gulf War Illness Budget by 25 Percent

(91outcomes.com)  Through the leadership efforts of Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), today's House floor votes increased the CDMRP Gulf War Illness treatment-focused research budget by 25 percent, as we were seeking. We hope that the final vote will preserve the acclaimed Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program ("CDMRP"), which primarily Tea Party members of the House want to eliminate, claiming it's duplicative of NIH funding.  While it is true that some of the CMDRP subjects are the same as those researched by NIH, such as some of the cancer programs, the funded research is primarily high-risk, high-gain and would not otherwise be funded. This is particularly true for programs like GWI, which VA also researches.    However, VA only funds VA employees, meaning the treatment-focused CDMRP studies would never be funded by VA.   Additionally, most if not all of VA's GWI research is "investigator-initiated" and to date has lacked strategic focus. The proof is in the outcomes, with the first and only successful GWI treatment so far having been funded through the CDMRP and not VA. CDMRP has had just $31 million in appropriations for GWI; VA and DoD combined have spent over $400 million without finding a single treatment to help GWI patients. According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) -- VA's gold standard -- 250,000 of the 696,842 veterans of the 1991 Gulf War, or more than one in three, suffer from chronic multi-symptom illness not explained by any physical or psychiatric disorder. [Personal note: The battle for CDMRP funding continues next in the Senate, where I'll be next week hoping to help in the broader efforts to fully restore or increase all CDMRP funding and increase GWI funding to at least $25 million, the level recommended by the IOM.] --Anthony Hardie, Madison, Wis. ======== Kucinich Continues Long-Term Fight for Gulf War Illnesses Research Funding

Kucinich Amendment Increases CDMRP Gulf War Illness Treatment Research Budget by 25% Washington D.C. (July 6, 2011) – Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today continued his his long-term commitment to funding research into the cause and cure of Gulf War Illness by offering an amendment to the Defense Appropriations Act, H.R. 2219, which will increase the amount of money available to the Gulf War Illnesses Research Program by 25% over last year’s level to $10 million. Congressman Kucinich took to the floor today to urge support for the amendment. See the video here. The amendment passed today by a vote of 253 to 167 and will be included in the underlying bill. “Today, along with the support my colleague, Representative Michaud, I am offering this amendment to help an estimated 250,000 ailing veterans of the first Gulf War-- over one-third of those who served. It will bring the modest budget for the Gulf War Illnesses Research Program within the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) in line with that of its peer programs, to $10 million. “Too many veterans of the first Gulf War suffer from persistent symptoms such as chronic headache, widespread pain, cognitive difficulties, unexplained fatigue, gastrointestinal problems, respiratory symptoms, and other abnormalities that are not explained by traditional medical or psychiatric diagnoses.  Research shows that as these brave soldiers age, they are at double the risk for ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease as their non-deployed peers. There may also be connections to Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. Sadly, there are no known treatments for the lifelong pain these veterans endure. “In a new landmark report, the Institute of Medicine has recognized that, and called for a major national research effort to identify treatments.  The scientific community has responded with a dramatic increase in the quality and quantity of proposals that are submitted to the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program, otherwise known as CDMRP.  “In the FY 12 Defense Appropriations bill, CDMRP programs with direct relevance to current forces received a 25% increase.  The research conducted by the Gulf War Veterans Illnesses Research Program is vital not only for ill Gulf War veterans, but also for other military forces.  “As summarized by the IOM committee chair on the topic, Dr. Stephen Hauser, Gulf War illnesses research is ‘vital to the health and effectiveness of current and future military forces, in addition to Gulf War veterans.’   “Most encouraging, CDMRP-funded researchers have completed the first successful pilot study of a medication to treat one of the major symptoms of Gulf War illness.  Just last month, a report was released on the first successful medication program study in the history of Gulf War illness research.  The study showed that the low-cost supplement, Coenzyme Q10, produced significant improvement in one of the most serious symptoms of Gulf War illness, fatigue with exertion, as well as improvements in nearly every other symptom.  It is not a cure, and the study needs be replicated in a larger group, but the result is extremely encouraging. The next step is for clinical trials, which will only be funded by the CDMRP. “The amendment’s offset comes from the Pentagon Channel, which is costly. It is over $29 million in the past 3 fiscal years. It is redundant; there are 8 other armed forces network television services providing news, entertainment, lifestyle, documentary and religious programming to service members and their families across the globe and it does not provide a vital service.  This research is critical to our troops in the field now as well as those that will be fighting in the future. “According to the VA’s Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses, the known causes of GWI are from exposures incurred in Iraq, like certain pesticides, or are from exposures incurred before deployment, like pyridostigmine bromide, a drug taken as an antidote to the nerve gas, Sarin.  There is also some evidence for a link between GWI and exposure to low-level exposure to nerve agents, close proximity to oil well fires, receipt of multiple vaccines, and combinations of Gulf War exposures.  “Current forces in Iraq and Afghanistan can still incur each of these exposures. That is why the Chair of the IOM Committee report on Gulf War Illnesses said that ‘This IOM report makes findings and recommendations vital to the health and effectiveness of current and future U.S. military forces, in addition to Gulf War veterans.’ “This is a time for us to say thank you to those who served; to say that we understand the suffering that Gulf War veterans have had with this illness and that we are dedicated to finding higher levels of research to make sure that we can relieve their suffering.

Military Times Article Claiming TRICARE Increase Funds CDMRP is Factually Inaccurate

The email below is in response to a factually inaccurate Military Times article that stated the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) were being funded through raised TRICARE rates.

The U.S. House Appropriations Committee clarified that assertion is false.

The email is from Mark Vieth, who represents two rare disease organizations and has taken a leading role in lashing together a broad coalition of CDMRP support groups.

--Anthony Hardie, Madison, Wis.

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Dear Friends, 

Many of you may have seen an article published in Army Times or Navy Times that suggested that the CDMRPs are funded through reductions in the TRICARE budget.  

I asked Brooke Boyer on the House Appropriations Committee if there was any validity to this, and I wanted to share her response below:

“This article is not factually correct. 

 "Every mark in our bill is done on an individual basis; one mark that decreases funds does not have anything to do with a mark that increases funds elsewhere.  Furthermore, the $330 million that was reduced is FY12 money in the budget request, not FY11 money. 

 "TRICARE funding is operation and maintenance funding, which is only available for one year.  The Committee believes that the budget request overestimates the amount of TRICARE funding necessary in FY12, hence the reduction.”

Mark D. Vieth, Senior Vice PresidentCavarocchi Ruscio Dennis AssociatesWashington, DC

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The flawed information in the Military Times article appears to have been based on the following Senate hearing testimony:

Rick Jones, National Association for Uniformed Services - “And after hearing, for more than a year, that Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs say that rising costs retiree health care was crippling our nation's national security, we read that the House Appropriations Committee intends to use $330 million of unexecuted money in the TRICARE health program for funding additional congressionally-directed medical research programs, many of which are outside traditional battlefield medicine, and/or duplicate subjects covered by the National Institute of Health. It's not appropriate.  Our folks might be outraged when they hear this, that their health care (inaudible) pay more for the monies going for additional research in areas unrelated to military”

  

CDMRP Survives House Approp’s Committee– but Many Programs Including GWI, ALS, MS Would be Cut by 20 Percent

 

(www.91outcomes.com) -- The full House Appropriations Committee met today to markup the FY12 Defense Appropriations bill.  

Despite many rumors that the acclaimed Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) would be eliminated, there were no CDMRP-related amendments during today’s markup.  It is certainly possible that all the Hill advocacy by dozens of health organizations over the last several weeks made the difference in preventing that.

However, under the House plan, there would be many changes to the previously successful CDMRP programs.  The final FY12 Defense Appropriations Bill as recommended by the Full Committee included the following:

1.      Several existing CDMRP programs would not be funded at all: most notably the sort of catch-all Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program; Neurofibromatosis; Pain Management; Global Deployment of the Force medical research; Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine; and SBIR to the core funded RDT&E.

2.      Two programs with the most direct military relevance would see 25% increased funding: Traumatic Brain Injury and Psychological Health (increased from $100m to $125m); Orthopedic (from $24m to $30m).

3.      Three new programs were created: Hemorrhage Control; Restorative Transplantation; and, a Joint Warfighter Medical Research Program -- totaling $75m.

4.      The other 17 programs funded in FY11 would be continued but cut by 20%. Despite the most direct military relevance, these included Spinal Cord Injury, Vision, Gulf War Illness, and Alcohol and Substance Abuse Disorders.

FY11 appropriations first, followed by the FY 12 Full Appropriations Committee Bill Recommended Amounts:

1.      ALS $8,000 -- $6,400
2.      Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine $4,800 -- -0-
3.      Autism Research $6,400 -- $5,100
4.      Bone Marrow Failure Disease Research Program $4,000 -- $3,200
5.      Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy $4,000 -- $3,200
6.      Global HIV/AIDS Prevention $10,000 -- $8,000
7.      Traumatic Brain Injury and Psychological Health $100,000 -- $125,000
8.      Global Deployment of the Force medical research funding -Department of Defense requested transfer to maintain full funding for the program $125,000 -- -0-
9.      Gulf War Illness Peer-Reviewed Research Program $8,000 -- $6,400
10.     Multiple Sclerosis $4,800 -- $3,200
11.     Peer-Reviewed Alzheimer Research $15,000 -- $12,000
12.     Peer-Reviewed Breast Cancer Research Program $150,000 -- $120,000
13.     Peer-Reviewed Cancer Research Program $16,000 -- $12,800
14.     Peer-Reviewed Lung Cancer Research Program $12,800 -- $10,200
15.     Peer-Reviewed Orthopedic Research Program $24,000 -- $30,000
16.     Peer-Reviewed Ovarian Cancer Research Program $20,000 -- $16,000
17.     Peer Reviewed Vision research in conjunction with the DoD Vision Center of Excellence $4,000 -- $3,200
18.     Peer-Reviewed Prostate Cancer Research Program $80,000 -- $64,000
19.     Peer-Reviewed Spinal Cord Research Program $12,000 -- $9,600
20.     Research in Alcohol and Substance Use Disorders $5,200 -- $4,500
21.     SBIR to the core funded RDT&E $1,200 -- -0-
22.     Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) $6,400 -- $5,100
23.     Pain Management Task Force Research $4,000 -- -0-
24.     Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program $50,000 -- -0-
25.     Neurofibromatosis Research $16,000 -- -0-

New for FY12:

1.      Hemorrhage Control -- $10,000
2.      Joint Warfighter Medical Research Program -- $50,000
3.      Restorative Transplantation Research Program -- $15,000

**UPDATE from Katie Weyforth Vanlandingham of Van Scoyoc Associates: Neurofibromatosis was funded (located in a different part of the bill than the other programs) and like most of the other CDMRP programs took at 20% cut from FY11. The Peer-reviewed medical research program is usually only funded in the Senate bill (and then ends up in the conference report) because they do not individually fund most of the CDMRP programs in their bill.
--

Anthony Hardie
Madison, Wis.

GWI and Other CDMRP Funding Fully Intact in Latest Continuing Resolution

 

Today’s news on the Congressional Continuing Resolution is good news for Gulf War  and other veterans and military service members : Gulf War Illness treatment focused research would be continued at $8 million, ALS research would be funded at the same level as GWI, $8 million, and MS research would be funded at $4.8 million.

The following is from the DOD explanatory chart for the latest House Continuing Resolution (CR) for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP). 

The data is provided courtesy of Gavin Lindberg, Vice President for Legislative Affairs with the Health & Medicine Counsel of Washington (HMCW).

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                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Budget Request      Recommendation  (in $1,000’s)

• ALS     ---     +8,000
• Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine   ---   +4,800
• Autism Research    ---    +6,400
• Bone Marrow Failure Disease Research Program   ---   +4,000
• Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy   ---  +4,000
• Global HIV/AIDS Prevention   ---    +10,000
• Traumatic Brain Injury and Psychological Health     ---    +100,000
• Global Deployment of the Force medical research funding – Department of Defense requested transfer to maintain full funding for the program     ---    +125,000
• Gulf War Illness Peer-Reviewed Research Program    ---   
  +8,000
• Multiple Sclerosis    ---     +4,800
• Peer-Reviewed Alzheimer Research     ---    +15,000
• Peer-Reviewed Breast Cancer Research Program    ---   +150,000
• Peer-Reviewed Cancer Research Program    ---    +16,000
• Peer-Reviewed Lung Cancer Research Program   ---    +12,800
• Peer-Reviewed Orthopedic Research Program    ---   +24,000
• Peer-Reviewed Ovarian Cancer Research Program   ---   +20,000
• Peer Reviewed Vision research in conjunction with the DoD Vision Center of Excellence    ---    +4,000
• Peer-Reviewed Prostate Cancer Research Program   ---    +80,000
• Peer-Reviewed Spinal Cord Research Program   ---   +12,000
• Research in Alcohol and Substance Use Disorders  ---   +5,200
• SBIR to the core funded RDT&E    ---   +1,200
• Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC)   ---   +6,400 
• Pain Management Task Force Research   ---    +4,000
• Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program   ---   +50,000

TOTAL, DEFENSE HEALTH PROGRAM    (in $1,000’s)
Budget Request:  30,935,111    Recommendation:  31,382,198

 

--Anthony Hardie

Senate: $11.8 million for Gulf War related health research in Omnibus

 

Written by Anthony Hardie, 91outcomes

(91outcomes.com) - According to a key staff member in the office of U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a longtime, leading champion of Gulf War Illness treatment research and other Gulf War related efforts in the U.S. Senate:

Here is what I found in the most recent FY 2011 Omnibus DOD Appropriations currently under consideration. 

Provides $8 million for the Peer Reviewed Gulf War Illness Research Program and $3.8 million for the ALS Therapy Development Institute Gulf War Research Project.

This will ensure continued funding at this year’s level, a wonderful outcome that is even more exceptional given the current challenges facing a lame duck Congress trying to get a lot done in a matter of days left before the end of the year.

And, General “Mic” would probably have been pleased to see this continued, designated funding for Gulf War related ALS funding.

So, in total, it appears highly likely that the FY11 funding for Gulf War related research in the CDMRP will be at $13.8 million, as described above.  Excellent news!

And, according to another key Hill insider from one of the leading veterans service organizations on this issue:

We have no influence on the current funding levels (they have been set by CBO and will not be impacted).

Putting all of our energy into planning a concerted effort to influence the next Authorization funding cycle will be a much more worthy endeavor.

In everyone’s opinion [on the Hill, this year’s GWI funding level] is set in stone at this point.

As noted in the 91outcomes’ earlier article, the House version already had a provision ensuring that DoD funding continues, for the most part, at FY10 levels.  As such, this includes $8 million for the peer reviewed $8 million Gulf War Illness research program.

And, if the Senate should also change course from the proposed “omnibus” appropriations act and move to a “clean” Continuing Resolution like the House has already passed, this will also result in the same funding outcomes for CDMRP Gulf War related health research.

So, good news all around!

NEXT YEAR:

Now is the time to begin thinking about preparing for a concerted effort in the next Congress to seek increased funding for DoD-Army-CDMRP GWI research. 

Given the possibility of new inter-agency, inter-institution research consortiums being funded, having a coordinated message by all organizations and individuals contacting Congress will be of critical importance. 

WHAT NOT TO DO TODAY:

Fragmented messages and random calls by individuals not really clear on what it is for which they’re asking has the strong potential of derailing efforts. 

Anything perceived by members and staff in Congress as having a lack of clear unity on a particular issue -- like CDMRP GWI funding -- can lead to lots of calls and confusion and result in that particular issue – like CDMRP GWI funding -- to be left in the “too hard to do” category and left off from funding entirely.

And, the current “CR” and omnibus appropriations bills do not contain “line items” for these research programs – they’re mostly “clean” bills that simply say to continue funding across the board at last year’s levels.

This also means that there is little if any possibility of changing funding from last year’s levels.

WHAT TO DO TODAY:

So for now, individuals interested in contacting their members of Congress should simply say, “thank you” for the continued funding at this year’s level for all programs, including the DoD-Army-CDMRP peer reviewed Gulf War Illness research program. 

WHAT TO DO AFTER JANUARY 3RD:

Stay tuned here on 91outcomes for updates on concerted efforts in the next Congress, which begins in January. 

It will be important that Gulf War veterans speak with one voice on these critically important issues, particularly with the possibility of a need to fund consortiums with FY12 funding.

President Expected to Sign New Gulf War Legislation, but What Does it Really Mean for Ill Gulf War Veterans?

UPDATED 2:02 P.M. CT, 09/30/2010

Written by Anthony Hardie

(91outcomes.com) – The annual veterans benefits bill passed by Congress this week and sent to the President for his expected signature contained measures of particular interest to Gulf War veterans.

In the Senate summary of the bill, it sounds promising on its face:

Section 805: National Academies review of best treatments for chronic multisymptom illness in Persian Gulf War veterans.

• Would direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into an agreement with the National Academies Institute of Medicine to carry out a comprehensive review of best treatment practices for chronic multisymptom illness in Persian Gulf War veterans and develop a plan for dissemination of best practices throughout VA.
• Under such an agreement, would require the Institute of Medicine to convene a group of experts in chronic multisymptom illness in Gulf war veterans.
• Would require the Institute of Medicine to submit a report, including legislative and administrative recommendations, to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives no later than December 31, 2012.
• VA would be required to fund the Institute of Medicine review.
  

Section 806: Extension and modification of National  Academy of Sciences reviews and evaluations on illness and service in Persian Gulf War and Post 9/11 Global Operations Theaters.

• Would extend the review and evaluation of chronic multisymptom illness in Persian Gulf War veterans by the National Academy of Sciences to October 1, 2015.
• Would direct the National Academy of Sciences to disaggregate the data for theaters of operation before and after September 11, 2001, and to compile two separate reports, one pre- and one-post September 11.
• Would extend the sunset for this report provision to October 1, 2018.

It’s great that Congress has gotten the message that the primary focus for the IOM-estimated 250,000 veterans of the 1991 Gulf War still suffering from chronic multi-symptom illness related to hazardous agent exposures two decades ago is about finding effective treatments.

However, it is unclear how that the IOM will carry out its mission.  Typically, the IOM has reviewed existing research already concluded, published, and peer-reviewed.  Since there focus on treatments for GWI is relatively new, IOM won’t be finding much if that’s the method they will pursue.

What needs to be developed is a comprehensive research program to develop effective treatments.  And, like Gulf War veterans have been saying for years, those treatments need to be based on the outcomes of known Gulf War toxic exposures.

Congress should be applauded for including a measure that is clearly focused on treatments rather than “stress” or trying to determine if Gulf War veterans are really sick – we are.  Our disability payments probably cost the taxpayers far more than if the federal government had honed in on treatments in the first place rather than denial.

However, it remains to be seen if this new legislation will actually produce something meaningful to improve the health and lives of ill Gulf War veterans, or simply summarize what we already know:  effective treatments for the underlying GWI issues do not yet exist, so the distant second best effort remains to put pharmaceutical band-aids on the dozens of individual symptoms of a terrible and insidious ailment.

A detailed summary of the Veterans’ Benefits Act of 2010 is available here: LINK

The full text of the bill sent to the President, is available here: LINK

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Technorati Tags: Gulf War Syndrome,Gulf War Illness,Gulf War veterans,Persian Gulf War,1991 Gulf War,Gulf War,Anthony Hardie,91outcomes,91outcomes.com

Our Veterans Suffering Illnesses Related to Toxic Exposures Need Treatment Now !

Veterans for Common Sense:  Call Congress Today - Our Veterans Need Treatment !

Issue: Call Congress and voice your support for full funding for the Gulf War illness research program of the Department of Defense.  The military program is called the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program, or CDMRP.

Veterans for Common Sense urges funding at the full $25 million level.

Background: Earlier this year, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recognized the chronic multisymptom illness suffered by 250,000 Gulf War veterans due are to toxic exposures during Desert Shield and Desert Storm.  The Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illness (RAC) reached the same scientific conclusion in 2008.  The IOM and RAC support research programs to develop treatments and hopefully preventions for both our veterans and our troops deployed overseas now.

Why is this important?  Many of these toxic exposures exist today.  By calling both the Washington and local offices of the senior Democratic and Republican members of the Appropriations Subcommittee deciding CPMR funding, you let them know that this illness is a huge problem suffered by real people who served our country. 

You've heard of the Iraq War Burn Pits?  We can't let another generation of veterans wait a decade for medical care.  Tell Congress to do the right thing for our veterans so we can have medical treatments for toxic exposures.

Who do I call? 

Please call two important Congressmen who will decide if Gulf War, Afghanistan War, and Iraq War veterans get the research and treatment they urgently need.

So, CALL ASAP:

1. Chairman Norm Dicks, Washington, DC 202-225-5916; or, Tacoma, WA, at  253-593-6536.

2. Congressman Bill Young, ranking member, Washington 202-225-5961; or, St. Petersburg, FL 727-893-3191.

Thank you for calling today !
Veterans for Common Sense

ALS Claims Yet Another Gulf War Veteran -- Still no Effective Treatments

Written by Anthony Hardie, 91outcomes

(91outcomes.blogspot.com) -- Published today in select news outlets in the U.S. and the Arabian Gulf States, Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Harold Jackson writes a powerful commentary and eulogy of Homer Pledger, Jr. -- a former Army Staff Sergeant and yet another veteran of the 1991 Gulf War to die from ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).

As Jackson notes, ALS is an incredibly cruel neuro-degenerative disease, with its ever-encroaching paralysis that leaves its victims to finally suffocate in a few short years, in full awareness of what is happening to them.

Testifying before Congress in July 2007, retired U.S. Air Force Brigadier General Thomas "Mick" Micolajcik told an enrapt audience in the U.S. House Committee on Veterans' Affairs hearing room of his personal experiences suffering from ALS, and calling for treatments.

General Mick's poignant testimony included the following:

"Military veterans, like me, face a higher risk of this relentless killer [ALS].

"50 percent die in one to three years, another 20 percent die within five years and only 10 percent may live to 10 years.

"It was learned in 2001 that Gulf War veterans have two times the incident rate of the general population..."

General Mick then went on to pointedly address the stunning facts that federal agencies only "dabble" in ALS research, there is no one entity in charge of ALS research, there is no existing strategic plan for ALS research, and there has been only one drug developed in the last 70 years and it is of questionable value.

None of us who met him could ever forget General Mick and his valiant efforts on behalf of his fellow veterans -- but I am afraid that Congress has already forgotten him, and the rest of us Gulf War veterans.

It is true that in November 2008, the federal VA finally granted "presumptive service-connection" for U.S. military veterans with ALS, just a week after being informed of research regarding ALS in Gulf War veterans that was presented to the Congressionally-mandated Federal Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses.

However, like the rest of Gulf War veterans suffering from Gulf War illness, no new treatments have been developed to help ALS victims, no new strategies have been implemented, and funding for new Congressionally Directed Medical Research focused on treatments for ALS and Gulf War Illness continues to be at the bottom of Congress' spending pile.

How much must our veterans and their families suffer before Congress moves to implement the recommendations made to its members on July 26, 2007?

Philadelphia Inquirer Photos: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/gallery/20090419_A_soldier_s_last__valiant_fight.html