Broad review of concussions to be undertaken in new year, Upton says

Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) announced on Tuesday that the committee will undertake a broad review of concussions and their implications in the coming year.

“We often hear about concussions in the context of service members and athletes, but this problem goes well beyond the battlefield and the gridiron,” Upton said. “It’s a matter of public health as these injuries are prevalent in all ages and across the population. Unfortunately, there’s a lot we don’t know about head trauma – how it effects different subsets of the population, the short and long term effects, and other details critical to developing effective diagnostics and treatments.”

The review follows years of uncertainty about the causes, effects and treatments of concussions and will be conducted by the Oversight and Investigations, Health, and Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Subcommittees. For the review, members and staff will work in tandem with medical experts to increase collaboration and advance understanding of concussions.

Among the experts who will collaborate on the review include professionals from the U.S. military, the National Institutes of Health, the scientific and medical research community, professional and college sports, and other stakeholders.

“Thanks to increased public awareness in recent years, there are promising efforts underway to increase our understanding of these injuries but we still have a long way to go,” Upton said. “Our goal is to bring together experts from across the medical spectrum to increase collaboration, have a thoughtful dialogue, and move the conversation forward. We have an opportunity to improve our understanding and better care for our kids and families.”