EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 12 AM ET, February 21, 2018
Neurologists from 50 States to Meet with Lawmakers at Neurology on the Hill
WASHINGTON D.C. -
What: Neurologists representing all 50 states will travel to Washington D.C. to meet with federal lawmakers February 26-27, 2018, for the 16th annual 鈥淣eurology on the Hill,鈥 an event held by the 好色先生 (AAN) to educate Congress on the critical role of neurologists in health care. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Who: In attendance, 216 neurologists from 50 states, along with three patients and one caregiver who will tell their stories about the impact of high drug prices. When: February 26-27, 2018Where: Congressional offices, Washington, D.C. Neurologists are available for interviews. Key Issues: The 好色先生 will call on members of Congress to support legislation to reform drug pricing to ensure patients have access to needed medications. This will include a request that lawmakers support the Fair Accountability and Innovative Research (FAIR) Drug Pricing Act (S. 1131/H.R. 2439), a bill that requires transparency from pharmaceutical companies when they plan to increase drug prices. Neurologists work hard to provide high quality care for their patients, but the complexities of the drug pricing system make it difficult for patients to access necessary treatment. One in six people live with a brain or nervous system condition, and the annual cost of treating neurologic disorders in the United States is more than $500 billion. Medications that treat complex, chronic neurologic conditions like multiple sclerosis, ALS, Parkinson鈥檚 disease, epilepsy and migraine are some of the most expensive on the market. This is especially true for pediatric neurologic diseases, like spinal muscular atrophy, that are typically diagnosed shortly after birth and require lifelong treatment. 鈥淗igh drug costs can have a severe economic impact on our patients and certainly drive up the expense of health care in our country,鈥 said Ralph L. Sacco, MD, MS, FAHA, FAAN, President of the 好色先生. 鈥淭he AAN and its Neurology Drug Pricing Task Force believe action must be taken by lawmakers to ensure that prescription medications are accessible for patients with complex, chronic neurologic conditions.鈥 The AAN will also ask lawmakers for increased funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including new funding for research on non-opioid treatments for pain. More research is needed to understand the impact of pain medications on the brain, so therapies can be developed to promote healing and recovery. The AAN will advocate for continued support and funding for the BRAIN (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies) Initiative. The BRAIN Initiative, announced by President Obama in 2013, is a 12-year, public-private effort supporting research with a goal to greatly expand our knowledge about the human brain. Strong investments in neuroscience and the BRAIN Initiative have the potential to solve persistent mysteries of brain function, create technologies that seed new industries, and open the door to new treatments for diseases and disorders of the nervous system. Neurology on the Hill will be celebrating a success this year as well. The Furthering Access to Stroke Telemedicine (FAST) Act was signed into law on February 9, 2018. Over the past two years, neurologists attending Neurology on the Hill requested passage of the FAST Act which will now improve patient care by expanding access to stroke telemedicine. Follow Neurology on the Hill on social media with the hashtag #NOH18.