Huntington's Disease Society of America Participates in Senate Caucus

Huntington's Disease Society of America
Monday, 26 March 2001

New York, NY, March 26, 2001 – On Tuesday, March 27, 2001, Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) along with Senator Tim Hutchinson (R-AR) will co-chair their second "Senate Biotechnology Caucus." The topic of this caucus will be "Implications of the Effect of the Human Genome Project on Patients and the Promises and Perils this Holds for People with Genetic Disorders." Formed in September of last year, this caucus was created to regularly host educational forums for members and staff to discuss a broad spectrum of biotechnology issues.

A representative of the Huntington's Disease Society of America (HDSA) will be present to testify on behalf of people affected by this deadly disease. The primary focus of this testimony will be family issues concerning Huntington's Disease (HD), the impact of genetic testing on people with HD, as well as policy recommendations that would benefit people and families affected by HD.

Also in attendance will be Dr. Francis Collins of the National Human Genome Research Institute, a representative of the National Breast Cancer Coalition and the CEO of Genaissance Pharmaceuticals and several representatives from patient groups.

About Huntington's Disease and HDSA

Huntington's Disease is an inherited, degenerative brain disorder that results in the progressive loss of control of both the mind and the body. Each child of an affected parent has a 50% chance of inheriting the disease. Presently, there is no effective treatment or cure for HD, but with the help of HDSA, there is hope.

The Huntington's Disease Society of America is a national non-profit voluntary health agency that is dedicated to finding a cure for HD while providing vital services to those affected by this life-altering disease. HDSA funds both basic and clinical HD research, educates the public and health care professionals about HD and provides services to our HD families through a national network of volunteer based chapters and Centers of Excellence for Family Services. HDSA provides the vital link between the laboratory bench and the patient's bedside.

For more information, or to contact Huntington's Disease Society of America, see their website at: www.hdsa.org