A bill creating a national registry to collect data on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig disease) was passed by Congress on September 23 (S 1382 [http://thomas.loc.gov]). President George W. Bush is expected to sign the legislation into law.
The national registry will gather information on patients with ALS and other motor neuronal disorders that may be confused with ALS or, in some cases, may progress to ALS.
The purpose of the registry is to better describe the incidence and prevalence of ALS in the United States; examine factors that may be associated with the disease, such as environmental and occupational factors; outline demographic factors and family histories of those diagnosed with the disease; and clarify the connection between ALS and other motor neuronal disorders.
