• Government
• Profession
• Business
• Opinion
• Health

• Health reform
• H1N1
• P4P
• EMRs
• Medicare
• Liability
• AMA House
• » More

• Book Excerpt
• Business Pitch
• Meetings
• » More

• Contract Language
• Ethics Forum
• In the Courts
• Practice Management
• Technically Speaking
• » More

• Issue dates
• Regions
• Health plans
• Sections
• News briefs
• Columns
• Editorials
• Letters
• Writers
• Other years

• Search tips
• E-mail alert
• Radio
• RSS
• Mobile
• Subscribe
• Institutions
• Staff directory
• Advertising
• Permissions
• Reprints
• News media
• Site guide
• Useful links
• About
• Premium
• Contact

Coalition seeks to advance autism research

Congressional action will focus on increasing resources in response to the climbing number of newly diagnosed cases.

By Susan J. Landers, amednews staff. March 12, 2001.

• PRINT|
• E-MAIL|
• RESPOND|
• REPRINTS|
• SHARE

Washington -- Congress has just turned a spotlight on autism research and education with the formation of a bipartisan coalition intended to direct more federal funding and attention toward finding the cause of this complex developmental disability.

Reps. Chris Smith (R, N.J.) and Mike Doyle (D, Pa.) were instrumental in forming the Coalition for Autism Research and Education. They have been joined by 75 fellow House members, and an invitation to join is being considered by some senators, according to a Doyle spokesperson.

Federal funding streams have bypassed autism research for many years, according to the congressmen, researchers and advocacy groups, and a recent increase in the number of cases diagnosed has heightened the need for more data.

"It is time for the federal government to help facilitate the discussion surrounding causes and cures for this disorder as well as recognize the need for federal funding for further, more advanced research," said Doyle.

"There's nobody in Congress who's against this," said Smith. "But the issue is prioritization."

The congressional coalition will continue to build on the momentum that began last year with funding increases for autism research, noted Smith. Another funding increase is expected at the National Institutes of Health for fiscal year 2001, he said.

"But one or two years are not enough to counteract decades of underfunding and lack of prioritization," Smith added.

The new attention comes not a moment too soon for Nancy Minshew, MD, who directs a Collaborative Program of Excellence in Autism at the University of Pittsburgh. "We have so little data, it is shocking," she said. "But it is what you would expect when the National Institutes of Health have not invested in [autism] research." [...]