WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, yesterday joined his colleagues on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations in hosting a “Broad Review of Concussions: Initial Roundtable.” The bipartisan roundtable brought together leaders of medical, military, athletic, and research communities to discuss concussions and head trauma.

“A neurosurgeon at Michigan’s Bronson Methodist Hospital told me in February, ‘What we have identified is simple concussions are not quite as simple as they seem to be.’…It’s a sobering assessment for parents, athletes, service members, and citizens who are trying to understand the risk these injuries pose to them or their families,” said Upton. “It’s also why we are here today – to develop a better understanding about what is known, to identify gaps in our scientific and medical knowledge, and to begin charting a path forward that will improve our ability to manage these injuries.”

To help prepare for the broad review, Upton recently toured the neuro critical care unit with a neuroscience and surgery team at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo to learn more about concussions and the different ways they can impact people depending on their ages, the severity of the hits, and whether they have repeated concussions.  

The participant list for yesterday’s roundtable can be found here.