FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ON February 24, 2019
U.S. Surgeon General to Address Neurologists from 48 States at Neurology on the Hill
WASHINGTON D.C. -
Donning green bow ties and scarves, 220 neurologists representing 48 states and Washington, D.C., will meet with federal lawmakers February 25 and 26, 2019, at the United States Capitol for the 17th annual “Neurology on the Hill,” an event held by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) to educate Congress on the critical role of neurologists in health care. As part of the two-day event, U.S. Surgeon General VADM Jerome M. Adams, MD, MPH, will address neurologists at 2:00 p.m. ET, on Monday, February 25. His mission as the “Nation’s Doctor” is to advance the health of the American people. Adams will speak to neurologists about the opioid epidemic and his efforts to encourage those at risk of overdosing on opioids, as well as their family and friends, to carry naloxone, an over-the-counter antidote that can prevent opioid overdose fatalities. 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. “It is a critical time for neurology to be a part of the conversation in Washington, D.C.,” said Ralph L. Sacco, MD, MS, FAHA, FAAN, President of the American Academy of Neurology. “AAN advocates are eager to educate the new Congress on the importance of access to neurologic patient care, increased research funding, and improving the availability of affordable prescription drugs.” The American Academy of Neurology will call on members of Congress to support legislation to reform drug pricing to ensure patients have access to needed medications. High drug costs increasingly contribute to the cost of neurologic care and for many, serve as a barrier to treatment. Medications that treat complex, chronic neurologic conditions like multiple sclerosis, ALS, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy and migraine are some of the most expensive on the market. Neurologists will also ask lawmakers for an increase in funding for the National Institutes of Health as well as continued funding for the BRAIN (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies) Initiative, a public-private effort supporting research with a goal to greatly expand our knowledge about the human brain. Finally, they will ask that Congress reauthorize the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) that currently funds a wide range of neurology-related research. Follow Neurology on the Hill on social media with the hashtag #NOH19.