The CAA reported on Facebook Sept 20
The CFIDS Association of America this spring requested that Congress include CFS in the Defense Appropriations bill under a category of research called the "Congressional Directed Medical Research Program." The Senate's bill, just out today, includes CFS as a newly eligible topic for the $50 million CDMRP program. (Researchers must still apply and be ...approved.)
CAA lobbied for this, Dr. Klimas mentioned it as a faster way to get grants, and WPI was also asking for these funds.
I'm sure the letters they get from patients helped too.
I think Congress can earmark funds for a disease in this program. I don't know if it had to be in this Defense bill already written, or if they can add it to the rest of the Appropriations budget they didn't finish before going off for elections. In any case it can't hurt to tell them we want funds mandated for CFS research (and an investigation of CDC use of funds for depression research). Funds have been miniscule, and no funds have been allocated for XMRV research. I'm willing to vote based on what they do about it.
The CFIDS Association of America this spring requested that Congress include CFS in the Defense Appropriations bill under a category of research called the "Congressional Directed Medical Research Program." The Senate's bill, just out today, includes CFS as a newly eligible topic for the $50 million CDMRP program. (Researchers must still apply and be ...approved.)
CAA lobbied for this, Dr. Klimas mentioned it as a faster way to get grants, and WPI was also asking for these funds.
I'm sure the letters they get from patients helped too.
I think Congress can earmark funds for a disease in this program. I don't know if it had to be in this Defense bill already written, or if they can add it to the rest of the Appropriations budget they didn't finish before going off for elections. In any case it can't hurt to tell them we want funds mandated for CFS research (and an investigation of CDC use of funds for depression research). Funds have been miniscule, and no funds have been allocated for XMRV research. I'm willing to vote based on what they do about it.