Department of HEW be substantially increased.

While all elements of the

program require augmented appropriation, it is recommended that signifi

cantly higher proportions be allocated to public and professional education and research than has previously been the case. In strengthening the operational control program, State and local governments should be persuaded to assume financial responsibility for an increasingly large proportion of the total effort.

For the implementation and management of a nationwide venereal disease control program for project grants to States and the VD Branch operating funds, the Commission recommended a Department of Health, Education and Welfare funding of $35,450,000 in fiscal 1973, escalating to $43,300,000

in 1977.

In summary, the Commission recommends that total Federal funding for the venereal disease branch operations, for project grants to states, for venereal disease research, and for the implementation of a venereal disease professional and nonprofessional education program in the amount of $46,150,000 be appropriated and allocated and obligated for fiscal year 1973 increasing to $68,035,000 for fiscal year 1977.

Bruce P. Webster, M.D.

Chairman,

National Commission on the
Venereal Diseases

CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS

Our concluding observations with reference to S. 3442 and S. 3187 are:

1. Passage of the Communicable Disease Control Amendments Act of 1972, S. 3442, is essential to the control of communicable diseases generally, assuring greater flexibility to deal with them, greater involvement of the private nonprofit organizations, and more nearly adequate financial support levels.

2. Passage of an even more specifically earmarked National Venereal Disease Prevention and Control Act, such as S. 3187, is additionally essential to control the venereal diseases--because they have complex roots in human behavior, and they are increasing rapidly in epidemic proportions; and because failure of past control measures to do the job demands development of new, additional techniques and programs.

3.

The proportionate emphases among the major elements of a nationwide venereal disease program, and financial support levels for them, as set out in S. 3187, should be revised to coincide with the expert recommendations from both the private and government medical sectors, which were released only last week. In definition and full support of these recent recommendations, we submit to this Committee the following:

the 7-page statement abstracting the REPORT OF THE NATIONAL
COMMISSION ON VENEREAL DISEASE, which precedes these "con-
cluding observations," already provided in 75 copies;

the complete REPORT OF THE NATIONAL COMMISSION ON VENEREAL
DISEASE provided today in a single manuscript copy; and

TODAY'S VD CONTROL PROBLEM 1972, provided today in a single
copy, but being mailed next week to each member of the Senate
and House, by the American Social Health Association.

REPORT

of the

NATIONAL COMMISSION ON VENEREAL DISEASE

to the

Assistant Secretary for Health and Scientific Affairs.

Department of Health, Education, and Welfare

WHY A NATIONAL COMMISSION ON VENEREAL DISEASE

The venereal diseases, syphilis and gonorrhea, have reached epidemic proportions throughout the United States. Reported cases of gonorrhea have been increasing yearly at an alarming rate of 10-15 percent and in fiscal year 1970 increased by 79,000 cases to reach an all-time high of 573,000. After four years of decline, reported infectious syphilis increased by 1500 cases in fiscal year 1970.

Recent studies of reporting practices by private physicians made for the Center for Disease Control by the American Social Health Association and the American Medical Association revealed that private physicians report only 18.7 percent of the cases of primary and secondary syphilis which they diagnose and treat and only 16.9 percent of the cases of gonorrhea they treat.

These facts and other data considered, it is estimated that 80,000 cases of infectious syphilis and 2.2 million cases of gonorrhea occurred last year.

Private medicine evidently plays a vital role in venereal disease control since practicing physicians treat 80 percent of the cases.

Therefore, the Assistant Secretary for Health and Scientific Affairs, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, deemed it advisable to convene a body of knowledgeable and concerned physicians from national health organizations and national medical specialty groups to study the problems, to consider ways to bring about a reversal of these trends, and to make recommendations for control to him and to the professional groups which the Commission members represent.

THE CHARGE TO THE COMMISSION

The mission assigned to the National Commission on Venereal Disease was to: (1) outline ways to improve among medical students and practicing physicians the knowledge of clinical management of and public responsibility for venereal diseases; (2) devise ways to increase the understanding among private physicians of the venereal disease problem and to bring public health and private medicine into a closer working relationship; (3) identify broad and specific areas of venereal disease research needs; and (4) make recommendations for implementing a program to reduce the incidence of venereal disease.

The Commission, consisting of a Chairman and 16 members, met for the first time in Washington, D.C., on April 19 and 20, 1971.