Congressman Chris Smith (R-Hamilton), joined by several of his colleagues in Congress, today officially launched the newly formed Congressional Spina Bifida Caucus, which will help patients and families who suffer from the nation’s most common permanently disabling birth defect.

    The caucus, whose membership already includes more than 20 Representatives from both political parties, is committed to enhancing and expanding healthcare research, treatments and therapies, and other services to improve the overall quality of life for spina bifida patients.

    “The Congressional Spina Bifida Caucus will act as a permanent engine that will help us continue to advance initiatives dedicated to helping the 70,000 Americans and their families who currently live with spina bifida,” Smith said.  “As a leader of the caucus, I look forward to continuing to press my colleagues for additional federal research dollars, as well as continued support for the National Spina Bifida Program, which we fought so hard to establish.”

    Smith co-founded the caucus with his friend, Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Michigan), who serves as co-chairman as well.  In addition to Smith, Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Florida) and Howard Coble (R-North Carolina) attended today’s kickoff event.

    Spina bifida occurs when a baby’s spine fails to close properly during prenatal development.  Surgery to repair the spine is frequently performed soon after birth, and has even been done in utero. But even with surgery, patients still require life-long care, the cost of which oftentimes exceeds $50,000 a year.

    Earlier this year, Smith helped secure $2 million in initial federal funding to establish the national program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and he is currently leading efforts in Congress to earmark additional funds in Fiscal Year 2004.  Prior to this milestone, there existed no federal program dedicated to spina bifida despite the fact that about 1 of every 1,000 newborns is born with this defect, and countless other babies with spina bifida are aborted because parents lack adequate information about the condition and what it’s like to live with and raise a child with spina bifida.

    “The National Program will help better educate young women about what they can do to prevent developing a child with spina bifida, continue to develop treatments and therapies, and help patients prevent and treat several secondary health problems which they are at risk of contracting,” Smith said.

    “For example, we know that daily consumption of folic acid supplements by women of childbearing age can reduce the risk of spina bifida by about 75 percent.  But we must do a better job spreading this important public health message, and the national program will strive to achieve this goal,” he added.

    In addition to the Spina Bifida Caucus, Smith also co-chairs several other health-oriented caucuses including the Congressional Alzheimer’s Caucus, Autism Caucus, and Pro-Life Caucus.