New ADHD Society
The American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders (APSARD) made its debut in June. The Mt. Royal, N.J.-based society says it is the first devoted to ADHD and aims to improve quality of care, boost research, and disseminate best practices. The organization is also launching the quarterly peer-reviewed Journal of ADHD and Related Disorders. The board of directors includes Dr. Ronald Kessler of Harvard Medical School and Dr. Joseph Biederman, chief of the adult ADHD program at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Biederman has been under fire from Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) for alleged failures to disclose conflicts of interest. According to APSARD Executive Director Gene Terry, the society expects to fund the majority of its activities from journal subscriptions, advertising, and membership dues, and it will accept industry support for independent continuing medical education.
Raising Childhood Stroke Profile
Two members of Congress want people to realize that children are at risk of strokes too. Rep. John Boozman (R-Ark.) recently introduced House Resolution 451, and Sen. Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D-Pa.) offered Senate Resolution 163 in support of a National Childhood Stroke Awareness Day. The resolutions state that each year, strokes occur in 26 out of every 100,000 newborns and nearly 3 out of every 100,000 children overall—and that stroke is among the top 10 causes of death for children in the United States.
Neurologic Disease Registries
A small bipartisan group of lawmakers is proposing to create national registries of Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and other neurological diseases in an effort to find better treatments. At a minimum, lawmakers say, the registries should provide more accurate information on the incidence and prevalence of these neurological diseases. “In order to gain a better understanding of these diseases, doctors and researchers must have as much information in their hands as possible,” Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), one of the bill sponsors, said in a statement. Currently there are only small and uncoordinated registries, surveillance systems, and databases around the world. The registries would collect information on age, race or ethnicity, gender, military service, and family history.
NIH Targets Rare Diseases
The National Institutes of Health has created a pipeline for drugs to treat rare and neglected diseases. This spring, Congress provided $24 million for the program, which focuses on collaborations among NIH researchers in these areas. The initiative is supposed to go beyond the Orphan Drug Act by offering support for preclinical research and product development. For products coming out of the program with an Investigational New Drug designation from the Food and Drug Administration, NIH will seek private companies to carry out testing with patients. The program “will develop promising treatments for rare diseases to the point that they are sufficiently 'derisked' for pharmaceutical companies, disease-oriented foundations, or others to undertake the necessary clinical trials,” Dr. Alan E. Guttmacher, acting director of NIH's National Human Genome Research Institute, said in a statement.
Vermont Bans Most Pharma Gifts
Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas (R) has signed into law a bill that prohibits manufacturers of drugs, medical devices, and biologics from providing free gifts to physicians and other health care providers. It also requires disclosure of any allowed gifts or payments, regardless of their value. Manufacturers can give physicians only gifts such as samples intended for patients, “reasonable quantities” of medical device evaluation or demonstration units, and copies of peer-reviewed articles. They still can provide scholarships or other support for medical students, residents, and fellows to attend educational events held by professional associations.