Pallone Bill to Combat Stillbirth and SIDS Passes Congress, Heads to President’s Desk for Signature

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), the Ranking Member on the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, praised the passage of an amended version of his legislation to combat stillbirth, sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) and sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC).

“I am pleased that the House of Representatives has unanimously passed the amended version of my bill, which will finally help us to better understand the causes of stillbirth, SUID and SUDC,” said Pallone. “No parent should ever have to endure the pain of losing a child. It is my hope that this legislation will offer families who have lost a child some peace of mind and help prevent other parents from ever having to experience such a tragedy. I also want to extend my deepest thanks to Laura Crandall of New Jersey, whose continued efforts over the years to find answers for her own family and so many others have helped ensure passage of this critical legislation.”

The “Sudden Unexpected Death Data Enhancement and Awareness Act,” H.R. 669, which was amended and passed unanimously by the Senate last week, will direct the Department of Health and Human Services to continue collecting data on stillbirth, SUID and SUDC cases across the country. The data will then be used to inform medical professionals and families of the deceased as to why these unexpected deaths occur and what can be done to prevent them.

Having passed both chambers of Congress, H.R. 669 will now be sent to the President’s desk to be signed into law by the end of the year.

Pallone Bill on Sudden Unexpected Death in Early Life Passes House of Representatives

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 669, the “Sudden Unexpected Death Data Enhancement and Awareness Act,” which was introduced by Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), the senior Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. The bill received bipartisan support and passed out of the Energy and Commerce Committee in July. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) introduced a companion bill in the Senate, S. 2746, in July that is currently before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

“Stillbirth and sudden unexpected infant death affect tens of thousands of families every year, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and sudden infant death syndrome is the leading cause of death for infants up to 12 months old,” said Congressman Pallone. “Too many families have struggled to find answers to these tragic events. This legislation will give researchers the information that they need to help us better understand these unbearable losses and provide parents with much needed answers.”

“I would also like to sincerely thank Laura Crandall who has worked with me on this issue for many years and who came to testify before the Health Subcommittee on this bill last November,” Pallone added. “Laura’s strength in the wake of the devastating and inexplicable loss of her young daughter, Maria, is inspiring, and her continued efforts to find answers for her own family as well as so many others have helped bring this bill to the House floor today.”

The “Sudden Unexpected Death Data Enhancement and Awareness Act,” would enhance awareness regarding unexpected sudden death in early life and improve the surveillance and collection of critical data when investigating these tragic deaths. Specifically, it would improve the development of standard protocols used by medical examiners in death scene investigations and autopsies surrounding these deaths, and it would allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct training activities regarding these protocols.

Senator Lautenberg, Congressman Pallone Call for Action to Eliminate Sudden Infant Death, Stillbirth

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 14, 2011

New Brunswick, NJ –Senator Frank Lautenberg and Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. Monday stood with advocates, doctors and parents who have been affected by either a sudden infant death or stillbirth to call for action on legislation that would have a significant impact finding the causes, raising awareness about and preventing deaths that leave so many families with more questions than answers.

"There is no greater tragedy than when a parent loses a child – but when that child is an infant, the pain is unbearable," said Senator Lautenberg, "This bill will improve the way we collect data about these deaths so that researchers have the information they need, and it will provide families with the information and support they deserve. It's time to finally unravel the mysteries behind these deaths."

Every year, there are more than 25,000 stillbirths in the United States. Many of these deaths are the result of birth defects, infections, umbilical cord problems, and chronic conditions of the mother. However, there is no known cause for as many as half of all stillbirths, leaving many parents without explanations for their loss.

"No parent should have to endure the pain of losing a child, especially without knowing why that child was taken from them so soon," said Pallone. "Our legislation works for a better chance at life for our nation's children and works to answer the questions parents face after they lose a child unexpectedly."

There are more than 4,600 sudden unexpected infant deaths each year and another 200 children between the ages 1 and 4 die without any obvious cause. Additional tragedies could be prevented if there were a better understanding of the deaths.

At the event, which took place at UMDNJ - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Pallone and Lautenberg stood with parents who have experienced a loss due to a sudden unexplained infant death as well as leaders in the medical profession from Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and the SIDS Center of New Jersey who are on the forefront of preventing these deaths in children.

Lautenberg and Pallone Monday introduced legislation that will contribute significantly to better understanding the causes of these conditions. The Stillbirth and SUID Prevention, Education, and Awareness Act would:

• Expand current data collection activities to identify the causes of stillbirth and ways to prevent it in the future;
• Create a national public awareness and education campaign to educate women about the risk factors for stillbirth, educate women about the importance of prenatal care, and educate parents and caregivers about known SUID risk factors;
• Expand support services, such as grief counseling, for families who have experienced a stillbirth or SUID loss;
• Encourage states and local entities to complete scene investigations and autopsies to help determine causes of SUIDs;
• Expand child death review programs to review the circumstances surrounding infant and child deaths;
• Establish a national database to track SUID deaths and identify risk factors.