The ICA and its internationally renown Medical Advisory Board work diligently to inform and educate the general public about the seriousness of this painful disease. Volunteers, staff, Medical Advisory Board members, and patients communicate regularly with major newspapers, magazines, television and radio stations, to heighten awareness and understanding of IC.
Some of the publications with recent information on IC include: American Family Physician, Family Circle, Prevention, Journal of Urology, Family Urology, Urology, Women’s World, and Dr. Donohue’s nationally syndicated newspaper column.
To provide the most comprehensive and up-to-date information on IC.
To provide IC patients, their families and friends with a support network.
To educate the medical community and the public about IC.
To advocate in the public and private sectors for research funding and patients' rights.
To promote and provide research funding to find effective treatments and a cure for IC.
To work closely with Congress and the NIDDK to ensure ongoing research at the Federal level.
Since the ICA’s founding in 1984 by Vicki Ratner, MD, an IC sufferer herself, the ICA has made a remarkable difference in the support available to IC patients, and in the research funding for discovering IC’s cause, cure and treatments.
Over the past decade, as a result of the ICA’s ongoing advocacy, Congress and the National Institutes of Health have increased research funding from zero to more than $30 million. The ICA is the only IC non-profit organization with such a comprehensive mission that is led by a medical professional, along with support from a distinguished Medical Advisory Board and Board of Directors.
Information about the operations and finances of the ICA may be found on GuideStar - a national database of U.S. charitable organizations, that gathers and distributes data on more than 850,000 IRS-recognized nonprofits.