III 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 74 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 28, 2007 

Received and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 

Pensions 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the need 

for additional research into the chronic neurological condition hydrocephalus, and for other purposes. 

Whereas hydrocephalus is a serious neurological condition, 

characterized by the abnormal buildup of cerebrospinal 

fluids in the ventricles of the brain; 

Whereas there is no known cure for hydrocephalus; 

Whereas hydrocephalus affects an estimated one million 

Americans; 


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HCON 74 RFS 

Whereas 1 or 2 in every 1000 babies are born with hydrocephalus; 

Whereas over 375,000 older Americans have hydrocephalus, 

which often goes undetected or is misdiagnosed as dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, or Parkinson’s disease; 

Whereas with appropriate diagnosis and treatment, people 

with hydrocephalus are able to live full and productive 

lives; 

Whereas the standard treatment for hydrocephalus was developed in 1952, and carries multiple risks including shunt 

failure, infection, and overdrainage; 

Whereas there are fewer than 10 centers in the United States 

specializing in the treatment of adults with normal pressure hydrocephalus; 

Whereas each year, the people of the United States spend in 

excess of $1 billion to treat hydrocephalus; 

Whereas a September 2005 conference sponsored by 7 institutes of the National Institutes of Health—‘‘Hydrocephalus: Myths, New Facts, Clear Directions’’—resulted 

in efforts to initiate new, collaborative research and treatment efforts; and 

Whereas the Hydrocephalus Association is one of the Nation’s oldest and largest patient and research advocacy 

and support networks for individuals suffering from hydrocephalus: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That— 

3 (1) the Congress commends the Director of the 

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1 ing scientists and researchers to organize the first2 ever National Institutes of Health conference on hy3 drocephalus; and 

4 (2) it is the sense of the Congress that— 

5 (A) the Director of the National Institutes 

6 of Health should continue the current collabora7 tion with respect to hydrocephalus among the 

8 National Eye Institute; the National Human 

9 Genome Research Institute; the National Insti10 tute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering; 

11 the National Institute of Child Health and 

12 Human Development; the National Institute of 

13 Neurological Disorders and Stroke; the Na14 tional Institute on Aging; and the Office of 

15 Rare Diseases; 

16 (B) further research into the epidemiology, 

17 pathophysiology, disease burden, and improved 

18 treatment of hydrocephalus should be conducted 

19 or supported; and 

20 (C) public awareness and professional edu21 cation regarding hydrocephalus should increase 

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1 ernment and patient advocacy organizations, 

2 such as the Hydrocephalus Association. 

Passed the House of Representatives February 27, 

2007. 

Attest: LORRAINE C. MILLER, 

Clerk. 


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