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NEW YORK, NY – August 18, 2021 –Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (NY) and Senator Diane Feinstein (CA) became champions for a cause critical to millions of Americans when, in July 2021, they appealed to the U.S. Senate Committee on Defense in a letter to Committee Chairman Senator John Tester and Ranking Member Senator Richard Shelby.
In this letter (available on LE&RN’s website at https://lymphaticnetwork.org/news-events/gillibrand-feinstein-champion-ld-research-dod), the Senators requested that the Defense Appropriations subcommittee support research on lymphedema and related diseases by including “lymphatic diseases” as conditions eligible for study within the Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP). They stressed that a number of lymphatic diseases especially affect members of the U.S. military.
“LE&RN and its members have long advocated unlocking the Department of Defense PRMRP for lymphatic research,” said William Repicci, the President & CEO of LE&RN. “We applaud the recent action of Senators Gillibrand and Feinstein and are hopeful that significant funding could become available to lymphatic researchers as a result. It has always been LE&RN’s view that improved diagnoses, better treatments, and cures are out there. What has been lacking is the political will and the funding to search for those answers. This letter from the Senators represents significant progress toward the better future that we envision for all those living with lymphedema and other lymphatic diseases. LE&RN members are to be commended for their steadfast advocacy to ensure that lymphatic diseases receive the attention they deserve.”
If Senator Gillibrand and Senator Feinstein are successful and the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Defense acts, lymphatic researchers would be eligible to apply for research funding through PRMRP, which dispenses nearly $400 million in grants annually. To receive updates on this initiative and others focused on lymphedema and lymphatic diseases, visit LE&RN online at www.lymphaticnetwork.org. There you can sign up for LE&RN e-mail news and alerts. You can also follow LE&RN on Facebook and Twitter.
About LE&RN
Founded in 1998, the Lymphatic Education & Research Network (formerly LRF) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization whose mission is to fight lymphatic disease and lymphedema through education, research and advocacy. LE&RN provides valuable educational resources for the millions of people who suffer from lymphedema and lymphatic disease. LE&RN fosters and supports research that can deepen the medical community's understanding of the lymphatic system. For more information about lymphatic diseases or the Lymphatic Education & Research Network, please visit www.LymphaticNetwork.org or call (516) 625-9675.
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