Langevin, Harper Introduce NIH Rehabilitation Research Improvement Bill

Congressmen Jim Langevin (D-RI) and Gregg Harper (R-MS) today introduced the Enhancing the Stature and Visibility of Medical Rehabilitation Research at NIH Act. The legislation, which would improve medical rehabilitation research and coordination at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is a bipartisan House companion to legislation introduced by Senators Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Michael Bennet (D-CO).

“After becoming paralyzed at the age of 16, I faced an uphill battle. I needed to learn how to eat, move, and care for myself - I even needed to learn how to breathe in a new way. It was an overwhelming challenge for a teenager, but my road to recovery was paved through rigorous rehabilitation,” said Langevin, who co-chairs the Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus along with Rep. Harper. “Rehabilitation research is absolutely essential in order to improve care and, ultimately, quality of life for individuals with disabilities, chronic medical conditions and debilitating injuries. Research must be a continued priority if we are to move health care forward and provide better services for these patients fighting to live healthier, more independent lives.”

“This legislations aims to lay the foundation for a national network that will allow clinical partners to work together with the NIH and create advanced solutions that will improve rehabilitation outcomes for patients,” said Harper. “As co-chairs of the Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus, this is the kind of legislation that both Rep. Langevin and I know will make long-term improvements to the quality of care and life for patients.”

In 2012, NIH published a report concluding that rehabilitation research had stagnated at NIH. NIH’s required research plan for the conduct and support of medical rehabilitation research has not been updated since 1993. This legislation would address that challenge by enhancing coordination within NIH and with other agencies in order to update and streamline rehabilitation research priorities. The bill specifies that the research plan must be updated every five years; provides for an annual progress report; requires the development of guidelines by NIH governing the co-funding of medical rehabilitation; and includes a definition of medical rehabilitation research.

This legislation is expected to be budget neutral and is endorsed by the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Coalition, a coalition of 40 national non-profit organizations committed to improving the science of rehabilitation and disability. In DRRC’s endorsement of the legislation, it says, “This bill sends a powerful message that our Nation can and must improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities and chronic conditions by enhancing medical rehabilitation research at NIH and, by so doing, improve the provision of rehabilitation services and devices.”