III 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 469 

Designating December 3, 2021, as ‘‘National Phenylketonuria Awareness 

Day’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 6, 2021 

Mr. LEE (for himself, Ms. WARREN, and Ms. BALDWIN) submitted the 

following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating December 3, 2021, as ‘‘National 

Phenylketonuria Awareness Day’’. 

Whereas phenylketonuria (in this preamble referred to as 

‘‘PKU’’) is a rare, inherited metabolic disorder that is 

characterized by the inability of the body to process the 

essential amino acid phenylalanine and that causes intellectual disability and other neurological problems, such as 

memory loss and mood disorders, when treatment is not 

started within the first few weeks of life; 

Whereas PKU is also referred to as Phenylalanine 

Hydroxylase Deficiency; 

Whereas newborn screening for PKU was first initiated in 

the United States in 1963, became mandatory in most 

States in 1966, and was recommended for inclusion in 

State newborn screening programs under the Newborn 


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•SRES 469 ATS 

Screening Saves Lives Act of 2007 (Public Law 110– 

204; 122 Stat. 705); 

Whereas approximately 1 out of every 15,000 infants in the 

United States is born with PKU; 

Whereas PKU is treated with medical foods that limit 

phenylalanine; 

Whereas the 2012 Phenylketonuria Scientific Review Conference affirmed the recommendation of lifelong dietary 

treatment for PKU made by the National Institutes of 

Health Consensus Development Conference Statement in 

2000; 

Whereas, in 2014, the American College of Medical Genetics 

and Genomics and Genetic Metabolic Dieticians International published medical and dietary guidelines on the 

optimal treatment of PKU; 

Whereas medical foods are necessary for children and adults 

living with PKU; 

Whereas adults with PKU who discontinue treatment are at 

risk for serious medical issues, such as depression, impulse control disorder, phobias, tremors, and pareses; 

Whereas women with PKU must maintain strict metabolic 

control before and during pregnancy to prevent fetal 

damage; 

Whereas children born from untreated mothers with PKU 

may have a condition known as ‘‘maternal phenylketonuria syndrome’’, which can cause small brains, intellectual disabilities, birth defects of the heart, and low 

birth weights; 

Whereas, although there is no cure for PKU, treatment involving medical foods, medications, and restriction of 


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•SRES 469 ATS 

phenylalanine intake can prevent progressive, irreversible 

brain damage; 

Whereas access to medical foods varies across the United 

States and the long-term costs associated with caring for 

untreated children and adults with PKU have a substantial financial impact on families, individuals, and society; 

Whereas access to medical foods can prevent detrimental effects on individuals with PKU, their families, and society; 

Whereas scientists and researchers are hopeful that breakthroughs in PKU research will be forthcoming; 

Whereas researchers across the United States are conducting 

important projects involving PKU; and 

Whereas the Senate is an institution that can raise awareness 

of PKU among the general public and the medical community: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates December 3, 2021, as ‘‘National 

3 Phenylketonuria Awareness Day’’; 

4 (2) encourages all individuals in the United 

5 States to become more informed about phenyl6 ketonuria and the role of medical foods in treating 

7 phenylketonuria; and 

8 (3) respectfully requests that the Secretary of 

9 the Senate transmit an enrolled copy of this resolu10 tion to the National PKU Alliance, a nonprofit orga11 nization dedicated to improving the lives of individ12 uals with phenylketonuria. 

Æ 


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