Title: A resolution supporting the goals of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome International Awareness Day.
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Expresses support for the goals of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) International Awareness Day.
Encourages the National Institutes of Health and other federal agencies to work with experts, stakeholders, and individuals with ME/CFS to support research to discover the cause of, and a cure for, ME/CFS.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 508 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 508

   Supporting the goals of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue 
                 Syndrome International Awareness Day.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 15, 2018

  Mr. Markey (for himself, Mr. King, Mr. Van Hollen, and Ms. Collins) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
               on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Supporting the goals of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue 
                 Syndrome International Awareness Day.

Whereas the Health and Medicine Division of the National Academies of Sciences, 
        Engineering, and Medicine (referred to in this preamble as ``HMD''), 
        formerly known as the Institute of Medicine, has found Myalgic 
        Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (referred to in this preamble 
        as ``ME/CFS'') to be ``a serious, chronic, complex, and systemic disease 
        that frequently and dramatically limits the activities of affected 
        patients'';
Whereas between 836,000 and 2,500,000 individuals of all ages, races, and sexes 
        in the United States are believed to be afflicted with ME/CFS, with 
        millions more afflicted by ME/CFS worldwide, and the vast majority of 
        individuals with ME/CFS are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed;
Whereas ME/CFS is approximately 4 times more prevalent in women than in men;
Whereas ME/CFS is a chronic disease that persists for decades and leaves \1/4\ 
        of individuals with ME/CFS housebound or bedbound, often for years;
Whereas 50 to 75 percent of individuals with ME/CFS cannot work or attend 
        school;
Whereas medical expenses and lost productivity related to ME/CFS cost the 
        economy of the United States $17,000,000,000 to $24,000,000,000 
        annually;
Whereas the cause of ME/CFS is unknown, there is no diagnostic test for ME/CFS, 
        and there is no treatment for ME/CFS that is approved by the Food and 
        Drug Administration;
Whereas HMD has noted a ``paucity of research'' on ME/CFS and that ``more 
        research is essential'';
Whereas individuals with ME/CFS struggle to find doctors who are willing and 
        able to care for them and ME/CFS is included in less than \1/3\ of 
        medical curricula;
Whereas, in recognition of the dearth of research on ME/CFS and the profound 
        impact that the disease has on individuals with ME/CFS and their loved 
        ones and caretakers, the National Institutes of Health (referred to in 
        this preamble as the ``NIH'') is ``committed to unraveling the 
        underlying biologic cause(s) of ME/CFS as swiftly as possible, and 
        promoting research that will inform the development of effective 
        strategies for treatment and prevention of this devastating condition'';
Whereas, in 2017, 11 Institutes at the NIH that participate in the Trans-NIH 
        Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Working Group and the 
        Office of the Director of the NIH contributed more than $7,000,000 in 
        grants to assist in establishing Collaborative Research Centers and a 
        Data Management Coordinating Center to improve the coordination of ME/
        CFS research and help accelerate understanding of ME/CFS; and
Whereas, in 2018, May 12 is recognized as International Awareness Day for ME/CFS 
        and other neurological conditions: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) supports the goals of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic 
        Fatigue Syndrome International Awareness Day;
            (2) recognizes and affirms the commitment of the United 
        States to--
                    (A) discovering the cause of, and a cure for, 
                Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; and
                    (B) improving the availability and quality of 
                medical care for individuals with Myalgic 
                Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; and
            (3) encourages--
                    (A) the National Institutes of Health and other 
                Federal agencies to work with experts, stakeholders, 
                and individuals with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic 
                Fatigue Syndrome to--
                            (i) consider the recommendations of the 
                        National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, 
                        and Medicine relating to Myalgic 
                        Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; and
                            (ii) support research to discover the cause 
                        of, and a cure for, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/
                        Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; and
                    (B) the medical community to enhance practitioner 
                training to provide appropriate and accessible care for 
                individuals with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic 
                Fatigue Syndrome.
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