Urotrauma legislation praised by the AUA

The AUA has announced its support for newly introduced legislation designed to address urotrauma, a growing concern among active military personnel and veterans.

The bill, H.R. 1612, which would direct the U.S. Secretary of Defense to establish a commission on urotrauma, was formally introduced by Reps. Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Mike Ross (D-AR), Peter King (R-NY), Mike McIntyre (D-NC), and Steve Stivers (R-OH). The AUA worked closely with lawmakers to draft the legislation.

Urotrauma is a significant issue among active military populations because improvised explosive devices, when detonated, can cause severe trauma to the sexual organs and genitourinary system, according to the AUA. Additionally, the heavy weight of armor and gear can cause strain to the abdominal muscles over time.

H.R. 1612 would establish an Interagency Commission, led by the U.S. Department of Defense, to investigate and advise on the research and action needed to advance this increasingly essential field. The urotrauma legislation includes the following key provisions:

• creation of "The National Commission on Urotrauma," which will conduct a comprehensive study of the present state of knowledge and research on urotrauma, evaluate existing education and research resources, and identify knowledge and programmatic gaps
• a long-range plan, based on the commission’s comprehensive study, for the use and organization of national resources to effectively deal with urotrauma.

"This bill highlights the importance of urotrauma research and treatment, and specifically addresses the medical needs of our young military service personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan," said AUA spokesperson Steven M. Schlossberg, MD, MBA. "Moreover, H.R. 1612 emphasizes the importance of urologic diseases and the federal government’s role in helping to promote the best quality patient care to our military."