CONTENTS I. ALPHABETICAL LIST OF WITNESSES Lennox, Dr. William G., president, International League Against Epilepsy; founder, American Epilepsy League; and member, American Federation of the Physically Handicapped__ Strachan, Paul A., president, American Federation of the Physically Page Dr. William G. Lennox, president, International League Against Epilepsy; founder, American Epilepsy League; and member, American Federation Strachan, Paul A., president, American Federation of the Physically Handicapped, Washington, D. C., letter to, from Michael J. Shortley, director, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Federal Security Agency, III NATIONAL EPILEPSY ACT WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 1949 UNITED STATES SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE ON HEALTH OF THE COMMITTEE ON Washington, D. C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 10:15 o'clock a. m., in room G-16, the Capitol, Senator James E. Murray presiding. Present: Senators Murray and Neely. Senator MURRAY. Ladies and gentlemen, the hearing will come to order. The hearing this morning is on Senate bill 659, a bill introduced by Senator Langer to amend the Public Health Service Act and provide for research and investigation as to the cause, treatment and possible cure of epilepsy. The bill, together with the departmental reports which have been received thereon will be inserted at this point in the record. (The material referred to is as follows:) [S. 659, 81st Cong., 1st sess.] A BILL To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for research and investigation as to the cause, prevention, treatment, and possible cure of epilepsy Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Public Health Service Act, as amended, is hereby further amended, by adding at the end thereof the following new title: "TITLE VII-EPILEPSY "SHORT TITLE "SEC. 701. This title may be cited as the 'National Epilepsy Act.' "DECLARATION OF POLICY "SEC. 702. The Congress hereby finds and declares (1) that the health of the Nation is seriously affected and threatened by epilepsy; wherein (2) approximately eight hundred thousand of our citizens are suffering from this disease, which causes involuntary convulsions which interfere with voluntary motion and coordination, and require special treatment and training; (3) that, while epileptics have been regarded in the past as being generally incurable, newer techniques employing new drugs, therapy, and training evidence much progress in the treatment of persons afflicted by epilepsy; (4) that it conservatively estimated that the various States are spending approximately $40,000,000 per annum in keeping patients alive in State institutions, but are spending nothing, or practically nothing, for learning how to prevent these patients from becoming lifetime public charges; and (5) that the Federal Government should provide for research and investigation with respect to epilepsy, in order to develop more effective means of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of such disease, and, if possible, to cure the victims thereof. "NATIONAL EPILEPSY INSTITUTE "SEC. 703. For the purpose of improving the health of the people of the United States through the conduct of researches, investigations, public education, and demonstrations relating to the cause, prevention, and methods of diagnosis, treatment, and restoration of those afflicted by epilepsy; assisting and fostering such researches and activities by public and private agencies, and promoting the coordination of all such researches and activities and the useful application of their results; training research workers; training undergraduate and postgraduate personnel in matters relating to epilepsy; training specialized social workers in this field; training parents of epileptic children; and developing and assisting States and other agencies in the use of the most effective methods of prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and restoration of those afflicted by epilepsy, including refresher courses for physicians, there is hereby established in the Public Health Service (hereafter referred to in this title as the 'Service') a National Epilepsy Institute (hereafter referred to in this title as the 'Institute'). "DUTIES OF THE SURGEON GENERAL "SEC. 704. In carrying out the purposes of this Act, the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service (hereafter referred to in this title as the 'Surgeon General') is authorized and directed— "(1) to conduct, assist, and foster researches, investigations, experiments, and demonstrations, relating to the cause, prevention, and methods of diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy; "(2) to promote the coordination of research, education, and control programs conducted by the Institute, and similar programs conducted by other agencies, organizations, and individuals; "(3) to make available research facilities of the Service to appropriate public authorities and to health officials and scientists engaged in special studies related to the purposes of this title; "(4) to make grants-in-aid to universities, hospitals, laboratories, and other public or private agencies and institutions, and to individuals, for research, education, and control (service programs for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment utilizing current or advanced methods) projects and programs, including grants to such agencies and laboratories, and related facilities, and related facilities necessary for the construction, acquisition, leasing, and equipment of hospital, clinic, and related facilities for such research, education, and control; "(5) to establish an information center on research, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of epilepsy, and collect and make available, through publications and other appropriate means, research and other activities carried on pursuant to this title; "(6) to secure, from time to time, and for such periods as he deems advisable, the assistance and advice of persons from the United States or abroad, who are experts in the field of epilepsy; "(7) to establish and maintain, from funds appropriated or donated for the purpose, research fellowships in the Institute and elsewhere, with such stipends and allowances (including travel and subsistence expenses) as he may deem necessary to train research workers and procure the assistance of the most brilliant and promising research fellows from the United States and abroad, and, in addition, to provide such training and instruction, and demonstrations, through grants to public and other nonprofit institutions; "(8) to establish and maintain, from funds appropriated or donated for the purpose of traineeships in the Institute and elsewhere in matters relating to the disagnosis, prevention, and treatment of epilepsy, with such stipends and allowances (including travel and subsistence expenses) as he may deem necessary to train persons found by him to have proper qualifications, and, in addition, to provide such training and instruction and demonstration, through grants to public and other nonprofit institutions; "(9) to admit and treat at the Institute, for purposes of study, voluntary patients suffering from epilepsy, whether or not otherwise eligible for such treatment by the Service; and "(10) to adopt, upon recommendations of the National Epilepsy Council, such additional means as he deems necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this title. |