AAPM&R will provide consistent updates on our advocacy outreach efforts, the Multi-Disciplinary PASC Collaborative and other relevant information to our Long COVID initiative.
Long COVID Leadership Recognition for PM&R
Thanks to our multi-pronged efforts pushing the Administration to address PASC, AAPM&R was invited by the White House Domestic Policy Council to join a stakeholder listening session focused on Long COVID with a federal interagency policy committee. The convening of this meeting is a major win and step forward after AAPM&R has led the pursuit of a centralized body of diverse experts to address the infrastructure needs and other gaps in access to timely and appropriate clinical care for all individuals with PASC. This meeting was an opportunity for AAPM&R to speak with several federal agencies at once about the complex needs of PASC patients, both clinically, and especially the barriers they are facing in accessing care, work accommodations and disability benefits.
AAPM&R was well represented by Dr. Ben Abramoff, the Director and Founder of the Penn Medicine Post-COVID Assessment and Recovery Clinic and Co-Chair of AAPM&R's Multi-Disciplinary Long COVID/PASC Collaborative, who was able to discuss his experience working with hundreds of PASC patients and leading a multidisciplinary clinic.
Research to Advance Medical Understanding of Long COVID/PASC
The Academy applauds Congress for funding research, and the current efforts of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to advance our understanding and research of Long COVID-related issues. We are supporting members by creating timely, needed resources, collaborating across health care, and highlighting the best education and news that is applicable to you and your PM&R practice right now. Our sign-on letter is up to 75+ signatures. Last week, we had a successful meeting with the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee's Minority Staff.
The Academy and the Foundation for PM&R worked together to reply to the National Institute of Health's (NIH) Request for Information on rehabilitation research elements specifically related to COVID-19. The Academy and the Foundation will follow up with the NIH on this effort.