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American Heart Association Unveils New Public Policy Campaign to Reverse Decline in Federal Funding to Fight Cardiovascular Diseases

Posted on: Tuesday, 17 January 2006, 18:01 CST

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Heart Association (AHA) today unveiled the most ambitious public policy campaign in the organization's history. This year, the association plans to aggressively activate its 22 million volunteers, supporters and grassroots advocates to promote public policies aimed at reducing death and disability from cardiovascular diseases. The campaign will result in a greater involvement of volunteers to create a sense of urgency around heart disease and stroke -- the nation's # 1 and # 3 killers.

Cardiovascular diseases will cost Americans an estimated $403 billion in lost productivity and medical expenses this year alone. The aging of the population is projected to drive costs for cardiovascular diseases up 54% by 2025. Annual stroke deaths are projected to increase nearly 100% by 2032.

"We foresee a perfect storm with dire consequences if we don't fight cardiovascular disease with strong public policy," said Robert Carson, AHA National Chairman of the Board. "Unless we take action now, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease could increase, health care costs could skyrocket and researchers could leave the field."

Among the association's 2006 public policy priorities: address inequalities in care experienced by women and minorities; address the rising epidemic of obesity among children; significantly increase federal funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that will lead to advances that predict and preempt cardiovascular disease; and promote prevention through the work of the newly created Heart and Stroke Division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

"As the baby boom generation ages, we cannot continue on this troublesome path," said Carson. "We rely on federal funding for medical research and 'heart healthy' legislation. If we work together, we can get results."

For the first time in 35 years, the FY 2006 budget for NIH was cut below the previous year's funding levels and the Rural and Community Access to Emergency Devices Program that places automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in many public facilities was slashed by 83 percent, potentially eliminating the program in rural areas.

"We must reverse this trend. Medical research plays a vital role in the discovery of treatments and cures for heart disease and stroke," said Alice Jacobs, M.D., AHA Immediate Past President. "It has yielded the medical breakthroughs we now take for granted."

The association's You're the Cure grassroots network consists of more than 100,000 volunteers -- doctors, scientists, parents, heart and stroke survivors -- actively involved in the organization's public policy agenda and dedicated to finding cures for heart disease and stroke. The goal is to expand the network to a quarter of a million volunteers by 2010.

On May 15 and 16, an estimated 600 AHA volunteers from across the country will gather on Capitol Hill for Congressional Heart and Stroke Lobby Day. The event will be an unprecedented call to action of volunteers to raise awareness of cardiovascular diseases and urge members of Congress to support relevant legislation.

American Heart Association

CONTACT: Suzanne Ffolkes, +1-202-785-7929, or Charles Hodges,+1-202-785-7931, or Jessica Collins, +1-202-785-7935, all of American HeartAssociation

Web site: http://www.americanheart.org/

Source: PRNewswire

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