Dr. Holly Phillips, medical correspondent for WCBS-NY, recently interviewed Steve Smith (Manhattan support group leader), Mary Robertson (New Jersey support group leader) and Stephanie Cion (a young entrepreneur with CIDP) about their neuropathy experiences.

Members of Congress and patient advocacy groups including The Neuropathy Association recently announced the introduction of new legislation, meant to remedy inadequate Medicare reimbursements currently restricting patient access to IVIG.

Advocacy Alert: Help Restore Access to IVIG Now!

Betsy Gotbaum, public advocate for the city of New York, was joined by patients and Association supporters to proclaim National Neuropathy Week 2009 in New York City during a breakfast event at O’Neals’ Lincoln Center restaurant on May 14.

The Neuropathy Association Announces 2009 Scientific Research Grants:
The Neuropathy Association has announced two awardees for its annual Scientific Research Grants Program. This year's grant recipients--Dennis Paul, Ph.D. and co-principal investigator, Harry J. Gould, M.D., Ph.D. of Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans and Glaucia C. Furtado, Ph.D. of Mount Sinai School of Medicine--were chosen from thirteen applicants involved in neuropathy research at medical institutions across North America.

First-Time National Poll Confirms Neuropathy Hits Millions In Their Prime
A new national Neuropathy Association poll of peripheral neuropathy patients finds that the majority of respondents had their neurological disease begin during their prime adult years, with 82% experiencing neuropathy's onset between the ages of 30-69.

The H1N1 Flu: What You Need To Know About It
The recent outbreak of the new swine flu--officially known as the influenza A (H1N1) or the H1N1 flu--that began in Mexico almost two weeks ago continues to raise concerns globally as researchers examine the virus strain to figure out how and when it evolved.

New Bill Offers Medicare Reimbursement Fix for Intravenous Immune Globulin (IVIG)
Members of Congress and patient advocacy groups including The Neuropathy Association announced recently the introduction of new legislation - H.R. 2002, Medicare Patient IVIG Access Act of 2009 - meant to remedy inadequate Medicare reimbursements that currently restrict patient access to Intravenous Immune Globulin (IVIG), a life-saving and life-enhancing therapy for many primary immunodeficiency diseases.

National Pain Care Policy Act Approved by Committee
The Neuropathy Association is pleased to share that the United States House of Representative's Energy and Commerce Committee adopted the National Pain Care Policy Act of 2009 (H.R.756) on March 4, 2009. The Neuropathy Association is one 120 organizations, including The American Pain Foundation, who have come together to support the re-introduction of the bill by signing a consensus statement that resulted in the passing of the National Pain Care Policy Act of 2009.

American Academy of Neurology Publishes Guidelines for Distal Symmetric Polyneuropathy
The American Academy of Neurology has published new, evidence-based guidelines to support the most accurate diagnosis for distal symmetric polyneuropathy (DSP). Distal symmetric polyneuropathy is the most common form of peripheral neuropathy, a disorder of the peripheral nervous system affecting more than 20 million Americans.

Research Grants Announced: "Understanding Autoimmune and Chemotherapy-Induced Neuropathies"
The Neuropathy Association recently announced two awardees for its annual Scientific Research Grants Program. Every year, The Neuropathy Association awards two scientific research grants. Each grant awards $80,000 allocated at $40,000 per year for a two year period. This year's grant recipients--Gary J. Bennett, Ph.D. of McGill University in Quebec, Canada and Hélène Bour-Jordan, Ph.D. and co-principal investigator, Mark S. Anderson, M.D., Ph.D. of the University of California, San Francisco Diabetes Center--were chosen from eleven research applicants working in the field of neuropathy research at prominent medical institutions across the U.S. and Canada.

U.S. Congress Passes Genetic Nondiscrimination Act
The Neuropathy Association was one of the supporters joining the Coalition for Genetic Fairness in its efforts to ensure genetic information nondiscrimination. As a result of the advocacy efforts of the organizations joining the Coalition, the Coalition, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) was signed into law May 21, 2008.