Using the letter below, you can send a message to congress highlighting the importance of musculoskeletal research!

To find your representative, visit the Research America website. Enter your zip code on the right hand side of the page. On the search results page, you will be given several different options. Scroll all the way to the bottom and select “compose your own message.”

On the next page, copy and paste the letter below into the text box. After completing your personal information, hit “send message” to communicate this important information.

Letter to Congress

Copy and paste the information below:

As a member of the Orthopaedic Research Society, and a constituent, I am seriously concerned about the limited funding available for health research into diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Musculoskeletal disorders include common dysfunctions of the skeleton, such as, back & neck pain, osteoarthritis (joint wear and tear), osteoporosis (weak/brittle bones), trauma, torn ligaments, and broken bones.

– Musculoskeletal disorders are the leading cause of disability worldwide.

– In the US musculoskeletal disorders affect 1 in 2 (50%) persons age 18 and over, and 3 out of 4 (75%) age 65 and over, more than heart disease and respiratory conditions combined.

– With the aging of the US population, musculoskeletal diseases are becoming a greater burden every year.

– In 2010 trauma surpassed cardiovascular disease as the leading healthcare cost burden in the US.

– Funding dollars to support musculoskeletal disease are greatly disproportional to other diseases with a lesser socioeconomic burden.

The Orthopaedic Research Society is composed of basic scientists, engineers, surgeons and clinicians with a mission to advance musculoskeletal research worldwide. By actively researching musculoskeletal disorders and diseases from these different perspectives, we are discovering new treatments and identifying key triggers of disease processes. This collaborative, high-impact research allows us to develop new clinical interventions that benefit the nation’s health and well-being. Additionally, our research has made huge gains in improving the quality of life for individuals in our country, enabling our citizens to return to the workforce after treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. The Orthopaedic Research Society has summarized six of the most important innovations that have come from our research efforts, how they have improved clinical outcomes, and why we need additional research funding (https://www.ors.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Inside-Innovations-FINAL.pdf/).

Based on the urgent need for new cures for musculoskeletal disease, we hope we can count on your support. Today our members are visiting Capitol Hill as part of the Research Capitol Hill Days with the following request:

The orthopaedic community, comprised of physicians, researchers, and patients, urges Congress to appropriate $34.5 billion in fiscal year 2017 for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Additionally, we recommend that Congress support the Next Generation Researcher Act (S.2014/H.R.3466), to improve opportunities for new researchers, promote earlier research independence; strengthen mentorship programs, enhance diversity efforts, and help new researchers obtain renewal funding.