II 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 775 

To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to encourage research 

and carry out an educational campaign with respect to pulmonary hypertension, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 8, 2011 

Mr. CASEY introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to 

encourage research and carry out an educational campaign with respect to pulmonary hypertension, and for 

other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Tom Lantos Pul5 monary Hypertension Research and Education Act of 

6 2011’’. 

7 SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

8 The table of contents for this Act is as follows: 


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Sec. 1. Short title. 

Sec. 2. Table of contents. 

TITLE I—RESEARCH ON PULMONARY HYPERTENSION 

Sec. 101. Expansion and intensification of activities. 

TITLE II—INCREASING AWARENESS OF PULMONARY 

HYPERTENSION 

Sec. 201. Promoting public awareness. 

Sec. 202. Promoting awareness among health care professionals. 

1 TITLE I—RESEARCH ON 

2 PULMONARY HYPERTENSION 

3 SEC. 101. EXPANSION AND INTENSIFICATION OF ACTIVI4 TIES. 

5 (a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the Con6 gress that— 

7 (1) the Secretary of Health and Human Serv8 ices (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’), act9 ing through the Director of the National Institutes 

10 of Health and the Director of the National Heart, 

11 Lung, and Blood Institute (in this title referred to 

12 as the ‘‘Institute’’), should continue aggressive work 

13 on pulmonary hypertension; 

14 (2) as part of such work, the Director of the In15 stitute should continue research to expand the un16 derstanding of the causes of, and to find a cure for, 

17 pulmonary hypertension; and 

18 (3) activities under paragraph (1) may include 

19 conducting and supporting— 


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1 (A) basic research concerning the etiology 

2 and causes of pulmonary hypertension; 

3 (B) basic research on the relationship be4 tween scleroderma, sickle cell anemia (and other 

5 conditions identified by the Director of the In6 stitute that can lead to a secondary diagnosis of 

7 pulmonary hypertension), and pulmonary hy8 pertension; 

9 (C) clinical research for the development 

10 and evaluation of new treatments for pul11 monary hypertension, including the establish12 ment of a ‘‘Pulmonary Hypertension Clinical 

13 Research Network’’; 

14 (D) support for the training of new clini15 cians and investigators with expertise in the 

16 pulmonary hypertension; and 

17 (E) information and education programs 

18 for the general public. 

19 (b) BIENNIAL REPORTS.—As part of the biennial re20 port made under section 403 of the Public Health Service 

21 Act (42 U.S.C. 283), the Secretary shall include informa22 tion on the status of pulmonary hypertension research at 

23 the National Institutes of Health. 


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1 TITLE II—INCREASING AWARE2 NESS OF PULMONARY HYPER3 TENSION 

4 SEC. 201. PROMOTING PUBLIC AWARENESS. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through the 

6 Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Preven7 tion, shall carry out an educational campaign to increase 

8 public awareness of pulmonary hypertension. Print, video, 

9 and Web-based materials distributed under this program 

10 may include— 

11 (1) basic information on pulmonary hyper12 tension and its symptoms; and 

13 (2) information on— 

14 (A) the incidence and prevalence of pul15 monary hypertension; 

16 (B) diseases and conditions that can lead 

17 to pulmonary hypertension as a secondary diag18 nosis; 

19 (C) the importance of early diagnosis; and 

20 (D) the availability, as medically appro21 priate, of a range of treatment options and pul22 monary hypertension. 

23 (b) DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION.—The Sec24 retary is encouraged to disseminate information under 

25 subsection (a) through a cooperative agreement with a naVerDate Mar 15 2010 03:43 Apr 12, 2011 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S775.IS S775

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1 tional nonprofit entity with expertise in pulmonary hyper2 tension. 

3 (c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than Sep4 tember 30, 2011, the Secretary shall report to the Com5 mittee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Rep6 resentatives, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 

7 and Pensions of the Senate, and the Committee on Appro8 priations of the House of Representatives and the Senate 

9 on the status of activities under this section. 

10 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the 

11 purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized 

12 to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry 

13 out this section for each of fiscal years 2012, 2013, and 

14 2014. 

15 SEC. 202. PROMOTING AWARENESS AMONG HEALTH CARE 

16 PROFESSIONALS. 

17 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through the 

18 Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Ad19 ministration and the Director of the Centers for Disease 

20 Control and Prevention, shall carry out an educational 

21 campaign to increase awareness of pulmonary hyper22 tension among health care providers. Print, video, and 

23 Web-based materials distributed under this program may 

24 include information on— 

25 (1) the symptoms of pulmonary hypertension; 


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1 (2) the importance of early diagnosis; 

2 (3) current diagnostic criteria; and 

3 (4) Food and Drug Administration-approved 

4 therapies for the disease. 

5 (b) TARGETED HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.—Health 

6 care providers targeted through the campaign under sub7 section (a) shall include, but not be limited to, cardiolo8 gists, pulmonologists, rheumatologists, primary care phy9 sicians, pediatricians, and nurse practitioners. 

10 (c) DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION.—The Sec11 retary is encouraged to disseminate information under 

12 subsection (a) through a cooperative agreement with a na13 tional nonprofit entity with expertise in pulmonary hyper14 tension. 

15 (d) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than Sep16 tember 30, 2011, the Secretary shall report to the Com17 mittee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Rep18 resentatives, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 

19 and Pensions of the Senate, and the Committee on Appro20 priations of the House of Representatives and the Senate 

21 on the status of activities under this section. 

22 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the 

23 purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized 

24 to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry 


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1 out this section for each of fiscal years 2012, 2013 and 

2 2014. 

Æ 


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