Subject: Please Prioritize Funding for TMD Research and Patient Programs Sample Letter:
As a voting constituent, I am asking for your help to increase funding for research on Temporomandibular Disorders (TMDs), a set of painful conditions of the jaw (temporomandibular) joint that severely disrupts vital functions. Over 35 million Americans have TMDs, every day experiencing strict limitations in what they can eat, how they speak, whether they can make facial expressions, and even interfering with their breathing. In the most severe cases, patients suffer unrelenting chronic pain and undergo jaw surgery after surgery, including multiple joint replacements, which often cause more pain and dysfunction. Adding to my concern at this time, I am deeply troubled by the significant cuts in staff and funding at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as the communication pause between these agencies and patient advocacy groups. The federal agencies are critical to advancing biomedical research and ensuring the public’s health; non-profit patient advocacy groups create awareness, provide a resource of volunteers for research studies, and a vehicle to communicate accurate information and timely results of evidence-based research. This is especially important for people who suffer from conditions like TMDs. Despite its prevalence, research has been severely underfunded for years, and the cuts to NIH and FDA will worsen this situation. Tragically, research on TMDs has long been underfunded, and the proposed staffing and funding cuts will only further limit our ability to identify better treatments and understand the root causes of TMDs. These cuts and communication bans have happened at the most unfortunate time, right after the launch of transformative initiatives (years in the making) that have the potential to significantly accelerate progress: - The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), TMDs IMPACT Collaborative for Improving Patient-Centered Translational Research is a program to establish a national interdisciplinary patient-centered research collaborative to enhance basic and clinical research, research training, and translation to evidence-based treatments and improved patient care. However, without increased funding and adequate staffing, this initiative cannot reach its full potential. Expanding this project into a national consortium is essential to improving care, advancing treatments, and making a difference for millions of people suffering from TMDs. These efforts depend on both funding and effective communication between government agencies and advocacy groups.
TMDs often coexist with other chronic pain conditions, and that’s why we need a coordinated, interdisciplinary approach to research and care. Increased funding for both the NIH and the FDA is critical to uncovering the biological mechanisms behind TMDs and developing more effective therapies. Without proper funding and collaboration, it’s incredibly difficult to make real progress. - The Patient-Centered Coordinated Registry Network (CRN) for TMDs is a collaborative effort with the FDA that would collect real-world data from patients on treatment safety and efficacy. It cannot succeed without adequate funding and staff to support it.
- The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Forum on TMDs needs to include representatives from the NIH and FDA. Their ongoing participation in these discussions is key to shaping the future of TMDs research and care, but this, too, depends on sufficient funding and effective communication.
The staffing and funding cuts, combined with the communication pause, are serious threats to overall progress and to the specific initiatives I have highlighted. I urge you to advocate for increased support for the NIH and FDA to ensure they can continue their vital work in advancing TMDs research and improving care for millions of Americans. |
