The Amputee Coalition is supporting and recommends passage of a U.S. Senate bill that will greatly improve research for evidence-based medical rehabilitation, including O&P care for the limb loss community.
The bill is designed to improve, coordinate and enhance medical rehabilitation research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). S800, the “Enhancing the Stature and Visibility of Medical Rehabilitation Research at the NIH Act,” was favorably reported out of the Senate HELP Committee this week and may soon be on the Senate floor for a vote. The National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research (NCMRR) is the primary agency that funds medical rehabilitation science, and their mission explicitly includes conducting and supporting research for orthotic and prosthetic research and development. The Amputee Coalition is confident that this bill will help advance research in O&P and improve the lives of people with limb loss.
“Passing this legislation will send a powerful message that we must improve medical rehabilitation, including orthotic and prosthetic care for patients,” said Susan Stout, president & CEO of the Amputee Coalition. “This will help to advance research in patient care and improve outcomes for people with limb loss to allow them to be able to return to work, live independently, and have a higher quality of life. We urge the full Senate to pass this bill and send it on to the House of Representatives.”
The Amputee Coalition has worked to support this legislation with a number of partner organizations, including all members of the Disability Research and Rehabilitation Coalition (DRRC). The DRRC is a coalition of nearly 40 national nonprofit organizations committed to improving the science of rehabilitation and disability. The DRRC seeks to maximize the return on the federal investment in rehabilitation and disability research with the goal of optimizing the health, function and quality of life of people with injuries, illnesses, disabilities and chronic conditions.