Contact FDA Now for Juvenile Arthritis Registry!

The Arthritis Foundation testified recently at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about the need for a Juvenile Arthritis (JA) Registry.  Now, the Arthritis Foundation and children with juvenile arthritis need your help.

Here is a message I received recently from the Arthritis Foundation:

Contact the FDA Today
JA Registry Needed Now! 
More Info

We need your help! 
 
The Arthritis Foundation has been advocating for many years for the creation of a juvenile arthritis registry. A JA registry would improve the care children with arthritis receive. It would help pediatric rheumatologists make better decisions about the type of medications our children need and it could serve as an early warning system if there are unintended side effects or outcomes of JA therapies. The Arthritis Foundation testified last month at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommending that such a registry be established:  http://www.arthritis.org/murphy.php
 
Now it is your chance to let the FDA know we want them to continue their commendable work in this area and make our dream a reality – the creation of a fully funded JA registry that would help our kids! Click here to learn more, take action and become an advocate!
 
Please personalize your letter with your individual story and feel free to include some or the entire letter which can be downloaded here.  Please submit your comments either by regular mail or email by July 14th to:
Division of Dockets Management
(HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration
5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061
Rockville,  MD 20852
Or
Submit electronic comments to http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=SubmitComment&o=09000064809306d1
All comments should be identified with:  Docket No. FDA-2009-N-0145

As someone that grew up with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, I wish that a registry would have been in place.  It may have been a very helpful tool for my pediatric rheumatologists.  Please take a few minutes to contact the FDA now for the children that are affected by arthritis today and in the future.  Be their advocate.