III 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 372 

Designating March 2010 as ‘‘National Autoimmune Diseases Awareness 

Month’’ and supporting efforts to increase awareness of autoimmune 

diseases and increase funding for autoimmune disease research. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 8, 2009 

Mr. LEVIN submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Designating March 2010 as ‘‘National Autoimmune Diseases 

Awareness Month’’ and supporting efforts to increase 

awareness of autoimmune diseases and increase funding 

for autoimmune disease research. 

Whereas autoimmune diseases are chronic, disabling diseases 

in which underlying defects in the immune system lead 

the body to attack its own organs and tissues; 

Whereas autoimmune diseases can affect any part of the 

body, including the blood, blood vessels, muscles, nervous 

system, gastrointestinal tract, endocrine glands, and multiple-organ systems, and can be life-threatening; 

Whereas researchers have identified over 80 different autoimmune diseases, and suspect at least 40 additional diseases of qualifying as autoimmune diseases; 


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•SRES 372 IS 

Whereas researchers have identified a close genetic relationship and a common pathway of disease that exists among 

autoimmune diseases, explaining the clustering of autoimmune diseases in individuals and families; 

Whereas the family of autoimmune diseases is under-recognized, and poses a major health care challenge to the 

United States; 

Whereas the National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates 

that autoimmune diseases afflict up to 23,500,000 people 

in the United States, 75 percent of whom are women, 

and that the prevalence of autoimmune diseases is rising; 

Whereas NIH estimates the annual direct health care costs 

associated with autoimmune diseases at more than 

$100,000,000,000, with over 250,000 new diagnoses each 

year; 

Whereas autoimmune diseases are among the top 10 leading 

causes of death in female children and adult women; 

Whereas autoimmune diseases most often affect children and 

young adults, leading to a lifetime of disability; 

Whereas diagnostic tests for most autoimmune diseases are 

not standardized, making autoimmune diseases very difficult to diagnose; 

Whereas because autoimmune diseases are difficult to diagnose, treatment is often delayed, resulting in irreparable 

organ damage and unnecessary suffering; 

Whereas the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies 

reported that the United States is behind other countries 

in research into immune system self-recognition, the 

cause of autoimmune diseases; 


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•SRES 372 IS 

Whereas a study by the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association revealed that it takes the average patient with an autoimmune disease more than 4 years, and 

costs more than $50,000, to get a correct diagnosis; 

Whereas there is a significant need for more collaboration 

and cross-fertilization of basic autoimmune research; 

Whereas there is a significant need for research focusing on 

the etiology of all autoimmune-related diseases, in order 

to increase understanding of the root causes of these diseases rather treating the symptoms after the disease has 

already had its destructive effect; 

Whereas the National Coalition of Autoimmune Patient 

Groups is a coalition of national organizations focused on 

autoimmune diseases, working to consolidate the voices of 

patients with autoimmune diseases and to promote increased education, awareness, and research into all aspects of autoimmune diseases through a collaborative approach; and 

Whereas designating March 2010 as ‘‘National Autoimmune 

Diseases Awareness Month’’ would help educate the public about autoimmune diseases and the need for research 

funding, accurate diagnosis, and effective treatments: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates March 2010 as ‘‘National Auto3 immune Diseases Awareness Month’’; 

4 (2) supports the efforts of health care providers 

5 and autoimmune patient advocacy and education or6 ganizations to increase awareness of the causes of, 

7 and treatments for, autoimmune diseases; and 


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•SRES 372 IS 

1 (3) supports the goal of increasing Federal 

2 funding for aggressive research to learn the root 

3 causes of autoimmune diseases, as well as the best 

4 diagnostic methods and treatments for people with 

5 autoimmune diseases. 

Æ 


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