With Oregon's Leadership, Congress Funds Launch of First Psoriasis Patient Registry

$1.5 million approved for CDC in 2010 federal appropriations bill

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Thousands of Oregonians suffering from psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis got a boost for the new year from the federal government when it approved $1.5 million to launch the first-ever psoriasis patient registry at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

The approval of the $1.5 million by Congress was realized after months of advocacy by Oregon lawmakers, U.S. Rep. David Wu (D-1st), U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), with support from the National Psoriasis Foundation and its network of 58,000 advocates.

By aggregating data from the profiles of thousands of people with psoriatic disease, the patient registry will provide much-needed insight into how psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis impact those affected. Patient registries for other chronic diseases have been credited with improving treatment by as much as 50 percent through helping researchers and clinicians discover critical patterns in treatments and outcomes.

"By creating a national patient registry for psoriasis, we will be making a significant step toward improving care for the most prevalent autoimmune disease in the United States," said Congressman David Wu. "In Oregon alone, as many as 89,000 adults live with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. The recent funding is a good start, but we must continue to press for an ongoing commitment from the federal government to support this vital collaborative research."

A disabling and disfiguring disease that appears on the skin, psoriasis is the most prevalent autoimmune condition in the country, affecting as many as 7.5 million Americans. Up to 30 percent of people with psoriasis will also develop psoriatic arthritis.

In 2009, Psoriasis Foundation advocates sent more than 11,600 messages to their elected officials urging them to increase the investment in psoriasis research by the federal government. The cause was elevated on Capitol Hill further by singer—and psoriasis patient—LeAnn Rimes' trips to D.C. last year to advocate for the registry.

About the National Psoriasis Foundation

The National Psoriasis Foundation is the world's largest nonprofit organization serving people with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Our mission is to find a cure for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and to eliminate their devastating effects through research, advocacy and education. For more information, call the Psoriasis Foundation, headquartered in Portland, Ore., at 800.723.9166, or visit www.psoriasis.org.

SOURCE National Psoriasis Foundation

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