Political Quotes

“I rise today for myself and Mr. Cochran to introduce the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Act, which will advance our knowledge of this serious health condition and our ability to treat people suffering from it. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are chronic disorders of the gastrointestinal tract which represent the major causes of morbidity and mortality from digestive illness. Because they behave similarly, these disorders are collectively known as Inflammatory Bowel Disease. It can cause severe diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, and rectal bleeding. Moreover, complications related to Inflammatory Bowel Disease can include arthritis, osteoporosis, anemia, liver disease, and colon cancer. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are not fatal, but they can be devastating. We do not know their cause, and we have no cure. There are an estimated 1 million people in the United States who suffer from Inflammatory Bowel Disease. In 1990, total annual medical costs for Crohn's Disease patients was $1 to $1.2 million, and for patients with colitis, $400 to $600 thousand. A recent medical breakthrough, identification of the gene for Crohn's Disease--opens up exciting new pathways for research to understand underlying disease mechanisms and to improve therapies for those who suffer from Inflammatory Bowel Disease.”