Rockville, MD (September 5, 2008) -- An exciting new chapter in federally funded research on interstitial cystitis (IC) was just launched by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), one of the National Institutes of Health, announced today that $37.5 million new dollars will be dedicated to a 5-year initiative examining urologic chronic pelvic pain disorders, namely IC and chronic prostatitis in men.

The ICA and its team of patient advocates were instrumental in securing these research dollars. Over the course of many years, the ICA has bought the message to policy-makers both in the US Congress and at the NIH that collaborative, multi-disciplinary research on IC must be a priority. As a result, Congress specifically directed the NIDDK to examine these opportunities and encouraged them to work with the ICA.

Too many people with IC are suffering from a host of related conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), vulvodynia, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and fibromyalgia, and we simply do not know why. Our hope at the ICA is that this effort known as "the Multidisciplinary Approach to the Study of Chronic Pelvic Pain (MAPP) Research Network" will begin to unlock the mystery of why so many of these conditions overlap and ultimately, identify treatments that will better relieve IC patients of their pain and suffering.

The ICA pledges to continue its work with Congress and the NIH to ensure that a robust research portfolio is set aside for IC and in particular, that the MAPP program is a success for all people with IC.

For more information about the MAPP initiative, please visit the NIDDK's website: http://www.nih.gov/news/health/sep2008/niddk-05.htm