On Nov. 15, 1973, a diverse group of NHF advocates met before the Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare to testify and advocate for the funding of diagnosis and treatment centers.

The National Heart, Blood Vessel, Lung, and Blood Act of 1972 (P.L. 92-423) enlarged institute authority to advance the national attack on heart, blood vessel, lung, and blood diseases. The act provided for expanded, intensified, and coordinated institute activities in accordance with a comprehensive, specified National Heart, Blood Vessel, Lung, and Blood Disease Program to be planned by the director and the Advisory Council.

It also called for establishment of prevention and control programs; development of 15 new centers for basic and clinical research, training, demonstration, and prevention programs for heart, blood vessel, and blood diseases; and development of 15 such centers for chronic lung diseases.

Thanks to NHF advocacy, Pennsylvania dedicates $2M to hemophilia treatment centers.

NHF launches the Judith Graham Pool Research Fellowship.

Dr. Oscar Ratnoff and his colleagues at Case Western University publish their findings on an immunulogical assay test that can identify female carriers of hemophilia.

Thanks to NHF and HANJ advocacy, in 1971, New Jersey passes a bill that authorizes the appropriation of $250,000 in state monies to be directed in establishing an assistance program for hemophiliacs.

In 1971, a test for hepatitis B antibodies is developed to identify infected donors; the test is mandated by the FDA for blood donation.

Ryan White, who will become the face of the HIV crisis for the hemophilia community, is born.

NHF expands to 54 national chapters.

NHF launches the Lee Henry Ferguson Scholarship, a financial aid award for students, which goes on until 1982.