President Biden signs CAROL Act to Advance Heart Valve Disease Research

Alliance for Aging Research champions legislation that will raise awareness of and devote research funding to a lesser-known type of heart disease that impacts around 11 million nationwide

WASHINGTON, DC — The Alliance for Aging Research is pleased to share that the Cardiovascular Advances in Research and Opportunities Legacy (CAROL) Act – H.R. 1193 – was signed this week by President Joe Biden.

Sponsored by U.S. Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY) in memory of his late wife, Carol Leavell Barr, who died from sudden cardiac arrest due to an underlying condition known as mitral valve prolapse — a type of heart valve disease — this measure will advance research and raise awareness of an important issue. An estimated 11 million Americans are impacted by valve disease, yet three out of four people know little to nothing about it, leaving too many going undiagnosed and untreated. This bill, passed unanimously in the House and Senate, is an important step forward in not only raising awareness and increasing knowledge about risk factors and detection, but also making critical investments in research.

“I can’t think of a better way to honor Carol Barr, whose selflessness and service to her community and country will be furthered through the law that will bear her name,” Barr, R-6th District, said in a recent news release. “I want to thank Rep. Kathleen Rice, Sen. Mitch McConnell, and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema for partnering with me on this bill. I can’t express my appreciation enough for the American Heart Association, WomenHeart, and the American College of Cardiology who endorsed this bill from day one and all the other advocacy groups that have helped champion this bill over the last year and a half. We got it done.”

In addition to the above organizations and the Alliance for Aging Research, the CAROL Act was also endorsed by the Adult Congenital Heart Association, American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation, the American College of Emergency Physicians, the Association of Black Cardiologists, CardioVisual, Caregiver Action Network Children’s Cardiomyopathy Foundation (CCF), HealthyWomen, Heart Valve Voice US, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association, Medical Management Associates, Inc., Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association, the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, the Society for Women’s Health, the Research Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography, StopAfib.org/American Foundation for Women’s Health, Sustainable Cardiovascular Health Equity Development Alliance, The Marfan Foundation, The Mended Hearts. Inc., and the Women First Research Coalition.

“We’re so grateful that Rep. Barr has chosen to honor his late wife’s legacy in a way that will empower all of us with more research and a better understanding of heart valve disease,” said Lindsay Clarke, JD, Senior Vice President of Health Education and Advocacy for the Alliance for Aging Research. “Heart valve disease is an important issue for older adults, and we are so excited that our Heart Valve Awareness Day event in 2023 will be extra meaningful because we can celebrate this effort.”

Every year on February 22, the Alliance leads more than 115 organizations globally in raising awareness about heart valve disease for Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day. Last year, Representative Barr opened the awareness day virtual conference and co-sponsored a Congressional Resolution recognizing the sixth annual Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day.

The Alliance is grateful for Congressman Barr’s work in valve disease and sponsorship of this important legislation. We ask you to mark your calendars for Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day 2023 on February 22 and celebrate with us as we continue to advance research and awareness of valve disease.

The Alliance for Aging Research is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating the pace of scientific discoveries and their application to vastly improve the universal human experience of aging and health. The Alliance believes advances in research help people live longer, happier, more productive lives and reduce healthcare costs over the long term. For more than 30 years, the Alliance has guided efforts to substantially increase funding and focus for aging at the National Institutes of Health and Food and Drug Administration; built influential coalitions to guide groundbreaking regulatory improvements for age-related diseases; and created award-winning, high-impact educational materials to improve the health and well-being of older adults and their family caregivers. For more information, visit www.agingresearch.org.

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For more information about the Alliance for Aging Research or to interview a member of our organization on this topic, please contact Katie Riley, Vice President of Communications, at [email protected].