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Big news on Capitol Hill… the much-anticipated PREEMIE Act – introduced by Sen. Lamar Alexander and Sen. Chris Dodd – was passed last week in the Senate. The bill will expand research on premature births, improve education for expectant mothers, and provide better treatment for preemie babies. President Bush is expected to sign the legislation.
The PREEMIE Act calls for:
- Expansion of prematurity research at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- Studies on the relationship between prematurity and birth defects and developmental disabilities.
- A grant program to educate health professionals and the public on signs of preterm labor and to provide support for parents with a premature baby in a NICU.
- A Surgeon General’s conference on preterm birth which will establish an agenda for prematurity related activities in both the public and private sectors.
For more information, visit http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:S.707: