Interim Report To Congress

In December 2016, Congress authorized CDC to develop a National Neurological Conditions Surveillance System (NNCSS) in the 21st Century Cures Act. This report was prepared in response to a requirement in the legislation pursuant to Section 2061, for an interim report regarding “aggregate information collected . . . and epidemiological analysis, as appropriate.”
With the initial appropriations in fiscal year 2019, CDC

• Met with stakeholders to understand their need
• Developed a three-stage strategy to establish integrated surveillance for a wide range of different neurological conditions by building upon existing data systems
• Initiated the first stage of the NNCSS strategy, involving demonstration projects to determine how we can best estimate rates of disease for two conditions: multiple sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson’s disease (PD)

Why It Matters

Millions of people across the United States face substantial and sometimes devastating consequences from neurological disorders. Focused and augmented surveillance will expand understanding of these conditions and the information will be used to improve health outcomes for people of all ages. Ultimately, CDC’s approach with partners will be a robust system that can

Improve overall surveillance and understanding of neurological conditions

Strengthen stakeholder collaboration and shared resources

Generate additional awareness for neurological conditions and support impacted patients and families

Catalyze research into the causes of neurological conditions and ways to improve their diagnosis and treatment