We’re excited to tell you about a big development from Congress! Researchers investigating hereditary Ataxias will be eligible to apply for grants from the Department of Defense’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) this year. This gives Ataxia researchers the ability to apply for funding from a government program that provides hundreds of millions of dollars to biomedical research each year.
Friedreich’s Ataxia was added to the list of eligible conditions for fiscal year 2022. NAF and FARA partnered to lead advocacy efforts to expand that eligibility to all hereditary Ataxias. With help from Ataxia community members, we were successful! Last week, Congress passed legislation that added ALL hereditary Ataxias as eligible conditions.
“The development of treatments for Ataxia must be a collaborative effort that leverages all available resources. We are grateful for the partnership with NAF and all Ataxia community members who advocated for this funding opportunity for Ataxia researchers.”
Jen Farmer
Chief Executive Officer
Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA)
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“This funding decision from Congress is crucial in our mission to accelerate treatment development for Ataxia. It shows how impactful advocacy efforts can be. I am grateful for all the Ataxia community members who joined NAF and FARA’s efforts to lobby for this update to CDMRP conditions.”
Lori Shogren
Community Program and Services Director
National Ataxia Foundation (NAF)
If you have any questions, please contact Brigid Brennan, brigid.brennan@curefa.org, or Lori Shogren, lori@ataxia.org.