III 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 592 

Designating the week of September 13–19, 2010, as ‘‘Polycystic Kidney 

Disease Awareness Week’’, and supporting the goals and ideals of Polycystic Kidney Disease Awareness Week to raise awareness and understanding of polycystic kidney disease and the impact the disease has 

on patients now and for future generations until it can be cured. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 22, 2010 

Mr. KOHL (for himself, Mr. HATCH, and Mr. BENNETT) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

JULY 29, 2010 

Committee discharged; considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating the week of September 13–19, 2010, as ‘‘Polycystic Kidney Disease Awareness Week’’, and supporting 

the goals and ideals of Polycystic Kidney Disease Awareness Week to raise awareness and understanding of polycystic kidney disease and the impact the disease has 

on patients now and for future generations until it can 

be cured. 

Whereas polycystic kidney disease (known as ‘‘PKD’’) is one 

of the most prevalent life-threatening genetic diseases in 

the world, affecting an estimated 600,000 people in the 

United States, including newborn babies, children, and 


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SRES 592 ATS 

adults, regardless of sex, age, race, geography, income, or 

ethnicity; 

Whereas polycystic kidney disease comes in 2 forms, 

autosomal dominant, which affects 1 in 500 people worldwide, and autosomal recessive, a rare form that affects 

1 in 20,000 live births and frequently leads to early 

death; 

Whereas polycystic kidney disease causes multiple cysts to 

form on both kidneys, leading to an increase in kidney 

size and weight; 

Whereas the cysts caused by polycystic kidney disease can be 

as small as the head of a pin or as large as a grapefruit; 

Whereas polycystic kidney disease is a systemic disease that 

damages the kidneys and the cardiovascular, endocrine, 

hepatic, and gastrointestinal systems; 

Whereas patients with polycystic kidney disease often experience no symptoms during the early stages of the disease, 

and many patients do not realize they have PKD until 

the disease affects other organs; 

Whereas the symptoms of polycystic kidney disease can include high blood pressure, chronic pain in the back, sides 

or abdomen, blood in the urine, urinary tract infections, 

heart disease, and kidney stones; 

Whereas polycystic kidney disease is the leading genetic cause 

of kidney failure in the United States; 

Whereas more than half of patients suffering from polycystic 

kidney disease will reach kidney failure, requiring dialysis 

or a kidney transplant to survive, thus placing an extra 

strain on dialysis and kidney transplantation resources; 

Whereas polycystic kidney disease has no treatment or cure; 


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SRES 592 ATS 

Whereas polycystic kidney disease instills in patients the fear 

of an unknown future with a life-threatening genetic disease, and of possible genetic discrimination; 

Whereas polycystic kidney disease is an example of how collaboration, technological innovation, scientific momentum, 

and public-private partnerships can— 

(1) generate therapeutic interventions that directly 

benefit the people suffering from polycystic kidney disease; 

(2) save billions of Federal dollars paid by Medicare, 

Medicaid, and other programs for dialysis, kidney transplants, immunosuppressant drugs, and related therapies; 

and 

(3) open several thousand spots on the kidney transplant waiting list; 

Whereas improvements in diagnostic technology and the expansion of scientific knowledge about polycystic kidney 

disease have led to— 

(1) the discovery of the 3 primary genes that cause 

polycystic kidney disease and the 3 primary protein products of the genes; and 

(2) the understanding of cell structures and signaling pathways that cause cyst growth, which has produced multiple polycystic kidney disease clinical drug 

trials; and 

Whereas thousands of volunteers throughout the United 

States are dedicated to expanding essential research, fostering public awareness and understanding, educating patients and their families about polycystic kidney disease 

to improve treatment and care, providing appropriate 

moral support, and encouraging people to become organ 

donors: Now, therefore, be it 


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SRES 592 ATS 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates the week of September 13–19, 

3 2010, as ‘‘Polycystic Kidney Disease Awareness 

4 Week’’; 

5 (2) supports the goals and ideals of a national 

6 week to raise public awareness and understanding of 

7 polycystic kidney disease; 

8 (3) recognizes the need for additional research 

9 into a treatment and a cure for polycystic kidney 

10 disease; and 

11 (4) encourages the people of the United States 

12 and interested groups to— 

13 (A) support Polycystic Kidney Disease 

14 Awareness Week through appropriate cere15 monies and activities; 

16 (B) promote public awareness of polycystic 

17 kidney disease; and 

18 (C) foster understanding of the impact of 

19 the disease on patients and their families. 

Æ 


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