Recognizing Dr. John Germiller's Achievements in the Field of Otolaryngology

Floor Speech

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Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the achievements of a remarkable constituent from my district, Dr. John Germiller. Dr. Germiller is an attending surgeon and Director of Clinical Research in the Division of Otolaryngology at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and an Associate Professor at Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. In a first in the nation breakthrough, Dr. Germiller's team was able to restore the hearing of an 11-year old boy named Aissam who was born deaf through a revolutionary gene therapy surgery.

The type of deafness experienced by Aissam affects over 200,000 people worldwide, a genetic disability which was previously deemed untreatable. Through a procedure at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Dr. Germiller was able to carefully inject a harmless virus carrying the corrected genes into Aissam's ear, which strengthened the tiny hairs within the inner ear that are required for full hearing ability. Dr. Germiller's study does not only provide a beacon of hope to adults and children affected by this type of genetic deafness, but also serves as the first step in utilizing gene therapy to help people experiencing other disabilities and diseases.

Dr. Germiller's career serves as a beacon of ingenuity and innovation, and his achievements inspire myself and others. I am sure that his contributions will have a lasting impact on the field of medicine. I thank Dr. Germiller for his tireless service to our community, our Nation, and the world.

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