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Medical rehabilitation bill recommended in Senate

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The U.S. Senate health committee today recommended legislation to strengthen and increase the visibility of medical rehabilitation research at the NIH.

The “Enhancing the Stature and Visibility of Medical Rehabilitation Research at the NIH Act” (S. 800), sponsored by Sens. Mark Kirk, R-Ill.; Michael Bennet, D-Colo.; Orrin Hatch, R-Utah; Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska; Johnny Isakson, R-Ga.; and Susan Collins, R-Maine, calls for the development of a comprehensive research plan at the agency to support the recovery of stroke victims and help patients return to work.

According to Bennet, the bill “has set up benchmarks at the NIH to meet and elevate rehabilitation research to senior-level expertise at the agency.”

Mark Kirk

Kirk, a stroke survivor, called for a higher standard of care for other Americans suffering from stroke.

“We need to establish a standard of care in rehabilitation to attack one key problem that I did not know about until I had a stroke: About 700,000 Americans have a stroke each year. We know that 75% will not return to work as I have been able to do,” he said.