A new addition to the Agenda, the DC Dispatch is an overview of the many initiatives and coalitions the Office of Public Policy & Advocacy has been working on throughout the year.

• The Arthritis Foundation joined with the Campaign for Public Health and other health organization requesting President Bush to substantially increase funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the Fiscal Year 2008 budget.

• The Arthritis Foundation recently nominated a volunteer to serve as a patient representative to the Food and Drug Administration’s Arthritis Advisory Committee. Advisory committees consider the applications and reviews for drugs. The Patient Representative is responsible for providing the committee with the unique perspective of patients and family members directly affected by a serious or life-threatening disease.