#RESEARCHNOTREDTAPE

For more than twenty years, the Department of Defenses Congressionally

Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) has achieved medical research
breakthroughs for service members, military families, and veterans. CDMRPs peerreviewed, competitive grant process led by scientists, clinicians, and disease experts
ensures that taxpayers dollars support only the most promising, militarily-relevant
research each year.
The support of Congress is critical. Since 1992, Congress has provided more than
$11.7 billion to researchers in universities and laboratories all across the country to
conduct life-saving research on numerous diseases and conditions that impact military
members, veterans, and their families.
Senator McCain is attempting to strangle this program in red tape. He has inserted
two provisions into this years National Defense Authorization Act (S.2943) which would
effectively halt this progress and jeopardize the health of military families and veterans.
McCains proposal would block DoD from researching the medical needs of military
families and veterans (section 756), and subject doctors and scientists to the level of
scrutiny currently reserved for complex, multi-million dollar weapons systems (section
898). This would needlessly bog down their research in months or even years of
additional bureaucracy.
Senator Durbin is leading a bipartisan group of senators from across the country to
remove these provisions so that this life-saving research can continue. But they cant do it
without the voices of patient advocates, doctors, scientists, and researchers across
America calling for an up-or-down vote on his amendment (#4369) so that the Defense
Department can continue to fund this lifesaving defense medical research.

Take Action
Call your senator, and ask that they support the Durbin amendment (#4369).
Tweet your support for the Durbin amendment using the hash tag
#ResearchNotRedTape.
Share a success story in a letter to the editor of your local newspaper or on social
media using the hash tag #ResearchNotRedTape.

#RESEARCHNOTREDTAPE
Congressionally-Directed Medical Research: Success Stories
CDMRP research has advanced our understanding of traumatic brain injury and
how to treat it, including two FDA-cleared devices to screen for TBI, a blood test
to indicate potential brain injury, and better ways to identify different types of
post-traumatic stress.
CDMRP research also led the development of Herceptin, which has become a
standard of care for the treatment of breast cancer.
Multiple sclerosis occurs at higher rates in the military than among civilians.
CDMRP research has funded significant advances in early-detection techniques
and is making progress on potential treatments targeting nerve receptors.
Incidents of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) are also higher among military
veterans than the general population. CDMRP research has identified a number of
promising ways to restore mobility and clinical trials in this area are currently
underway.
DoD has funded two FDA-approved drugs for the treatment of prostate cancer,
and is currently funding or collaborating in phase-3 clinical trials for seven other
therapeutic candidates for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer.
The Gulf War Illness Research Program focuses on improving diagnosis and
treatments for the complex set of Gulf War Illness symptoms and underlying
causes. Studies indicate that more than one-quarter of the 700,000 U.S.
Warfighters who served during the 1990-1991 conflict continue to experience
symptoms associated with their deployment.