Sec. 2. Findings

353 words·~2 min read·/bill/113/hr/842/ih/section-2

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

Congress finds the following: Functional gastrointestinal and motility disorders (FGIMDs) are chronic conditions associated with increased sensitivity of the GI tract, abnormal motor functioning, and brain-gut dysfunction. FGIMDs are characterized by symptoms in the GI tract including pain or discomfort, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, incontinence, problems in the passage of food or feces, or a combination of these symptoms. FGIMDs include conditions such as dysphagia, gastroesophageal reflux disease, dyspepsia, cyclic vomiting syndrome, gastroparesis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Hirschsprung’s disease, chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction, bowel incontinence, and many others, which affect the esophagus, stomach, gallbladder, small and large intestine, and anorectal areas of the body.

The severity of FGIMDs ranges from mildly uncomfortable to debilitating and in some cases life-threatening. Effective treatments for the multiple symptoms of FGIMDs are lacking, and while sufferers frequently use a variety of medications and therapies for symptoms, few patients report satisfaction with available treatments. Patients with FGIMDs frequently suffer for years before receiving an accurate diagnosis, exposing them to unnecessary and costly tests and procedures including surgeries, as well as needless suffering and expense.

The economic impact of FGIMDs is high. The annual cost in the United States for IBS alone is estimated to be between $1.7 billion and $10 billion in direct medical costs (excluding prescription and over-the-counter medications) and $20 billion in indirect medical costs. FGIMDs frequently take a toll on the workplace, as reflected in work absenteeism, lost productivity, and lost opportunities for the individual and society. Gastrointestinal symptoms consistent with functional gastrointestinal disorders such as IBS and functional dyspepsia have been recognized as a serious and disabling issue for military veterans, particularly those who have been deployed.

FGIMDs affect individuals of all ages including children, and pediatric FGIMDs can be particularly serious, leading to a lifetime of painful symptoms and medical expenses associated with management of chronic illness or death. The National Institutes of Health’s National Commission on Digestive Diseases identified comprehensive research goals related to FGIMDs in its April 2009 report to Congress and the American public entitled Opportunities and Challenges in Digestive Diseases Research:

Recommendations of the National Commission on Digestive Diseases .