Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation Lauds U.S. House of Representatives Passage of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Par...( Congress Moves a Step Closer t...),Health

Congress Moves a Step Closer to Having Collaborative Research,

Rehabilitation and Quality of Life Legislation Signed into Law

SHORT HILLS, N.J., Oct. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation (CDRF), the national, non-profit organization dedicated to finding cures and treatments for spinal cord injuries and improving the lives of people living with paralysis, applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for passing H.R. 1727, the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act (CDRPA). The bill, which enjoys strong bi-partisan support, was named for the late actor Christopher Reeve and his wife Dana, whose courage and grace in the face of adversity were an example to millions around the world.

The landmark legislation encourages coordination of research to prevent redundancies and hasten discovery of better treatments and cures, as well as to improve the daily lives for those living with paralysis. It also permits funding for federal programs which seek to improve the daily lives for those living with paralysis. The Act has three components that support and enhance paralysis research, rehabilitation, and quality of life programs:

-- Paralysis Research - Expands research on paralysis at the National

Institutes of Health (NIH). This will encourage collaborative research

by connecting scientists conducting similar work to further enhance

understanding and speed discovery of better treatments and cures.

-- Paralysis Rehabilitation and Care - Builds on research to enhance daily

function for people with paralysis including a Clinical Trials Network

to measure effectiveness of certain rehabilitation tactics and

encouraging shared findings on paralysis to improve rehabilitation.

-- Improving Quality of Life for Persons with Paralysis and Other Physical

Disabilities - Works with the Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC) to
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