IV 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 340 
Expressing the sense of the Congress with respect to the effective treatment 
of and access to care for individuals with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 14, 2006 
Mr. GERLACH submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of the Congress with respect to the 
effective treatment of and access to care for individuals 
with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, and for other pur-
poses. 
Whereas psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are serious, chronic, 
inflammatory, disfiguring, and life-altering diseases that 
require sophisticated medical intervention and care; 
Whereas, according to the National Institutes of Health, be-
tween 5.8 and 7.5 million Americans are affected by pso-
riasis; 
Whereas psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are painful and dis-
abling diseases with no cure that have a significant and 
adverse impact on the quality of life of an individual di-
agnosed with either of these diseases;
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Whereas studies have found that psoriasis may cause as 
much physical and mental disability as other major dis-
eases, including cancer, arthritis, hypertension, heart dis-
ease, diabetes, and depression; 
Whereas studies have found that psoriasis is associated with 
elevated rates of depression and suicidal ideation; 
Whereas each year the people of the United States spend be-
tween $2 billion and $3 billion to treat psoriasis; 
Whereas early diagnosis and treatment of psoriatic arthritis 
may help prevent irreversible joint damage; 
Whereas treating psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis presents a 
challenge for patients and their health care providers be-
cause no one treatment works for everyone, some treat-
ments lose effectiveness over time, many treatments are 
used in combination with other treatments, and all treat-
ments may cause a unique set of side effects; 
Whereas while new, more effective and safer treatments fi-
nally are becoming available, too many people do not yet 
have access to the treatments that may make a signifi-
cant difference in the quality of their lives; and 
Whereas the Congress as an institution, and Members of the 
Congress as individuals, are in unique positions to help 
raise public awareness about the need for increased ac-
cess to and effective treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic 
arthritis and the need for additional funding for research 
on psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that— 
(1) the Director of the National Institutes of 
Health and the Director of the National Institute of
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Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases 
should continue to take a leadership role in the iden-
tification of a cure and the development of safer, 
more effective treatments for psoriasis and psoriatic 
arthritis through the expansion of genetic, clinical, 
and basic research focusing on understanding the 
cellular and molecular mechanisms of these diseases, 
as well as the extension of efforts to understand co- 
morbidities such as obesity and hypertension that 
are associated with inflammation in the skin and 
joints; and 
(2) the Secretary of Health and Human Serv-
ices should convene, by August 2006, which is Psori-
asis Awareness Month, a special panel to study— 
(A) the availability of treatments and care 
for individuals with psoriasis and psoriatic ar-
thritis; 
(B) the ability of individuals with psoriasis 
and psoriatic arthritis to access the prescription 
therapies appropriate for their disease state and 
condition; and 
(C) such a special panel should make rec-
ommendations to the Congress by February 
2007 regarding how to improve access to care
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for individuals with psoriasis and psoriatic ar-
thritis. 
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