Title: A resolution recognizing the significance of endometriosis as an unmet chronic disease for women and designating March 2018 as "Endometriosis Awareness Month".
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Designates March 2018 as Endometriosis Awareness Month.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 451 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 451

   Recognizing the significance of endometriosis as an unmet chronic 
    disease for women and designating March 2018 as ``Endometriosis 
                           Awareness Month''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 22, 2018

  Ms. Duckworth (for herself and Ms. Warren) submitted the following 
    resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Recognizing the significance of endometriosis as an unmet chronic 
    disease for women and designating March 2018 as ``Endometriosis 
                           Awareness Month''.

Whereas 6,500,000 women in the United States are living with endometriosis;
Whereas endometriosis is a chronic disease affecting 176,000,000 women 
        throughout the world and an estimated 1 in 10 women in the United States 
        ages 18 through 49;
Whereas medical societies and patient groups including the Endometriosis 
        Association, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 
        the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health, the 
        American Society for Reproductive Medicine, and the American Social 
        Health Association all have expressed the need for greater public 
        attention and updated resources targeted to public education about this 
        unmet health need for women;
Whereas endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to that normally found in the 
        uterus begins to grow outside the uterus;
Whereas, while endometriosis is one of the most common gynecological disorders 
        in the United States, there is a lack of awareness and prioritization of 
        endometriosis as an important health issue for women;
Whereas women can suffer up to 6 to 10 years before properly diagnosed;
Whereas approximately \1/3\ to \1/2\ of all women with endometriosis will have 
        difficulty getting pregnant;
Whereas endometriosis is a painful and debilitating disorder;
Whereas endometriosis is associated with increased health care costs and poses a 
        substantial burden to patients in the health care system;
Whereas the total annual direct health care cost of symptoms associated with 
        endometriosis is $56,000,000,000, or nearly $11,000 per patient;
Whereas 51 percent of endometriosis patients report that the disease 
        detrimentally affects their performance of their job;
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the average 
        number of ``bed days'' for patients with endometriosis was 18 days per 
        year;
Whereas women with endometriosis can lose 11 hours per work week through lost 
        productivity;
Whereas, in 2010, endometriosis patients were hospitalized over 100,000 days 
        because of this disease;
Whereas there is a need for more research and updated guidelines to treat 
        endometriosis;
Whereas the research dollars from the National Institutes of Health dedicated to 
        endometriosis has dropped from $16,000,000 in 2010 to $7,000,000 in 
        2018;
Whereas there is an ongoing need for additional clinical research and treatment 
        options to manage this debilitating disease; and
Whereas there is no known cure for endometriosis: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates March 2018 as ``Endometriosis Awareness 
        Month'';
            (2) recognizes the importance of endometriosis as a health 
        issue for women that requires far greater attention, public 
        awareness, and education about the disease;
            (3) encourages the Secretary of Health and Human Services--
                    (A) to provide information to women, patients, and 
                health care providers with respect to endometriosis, 
                including available screening tools and treatment 
                options, with a goal of improving the quality of life 
                and health outcomes of women affected by endometriosis;
                    (B) to conduct additional research on endometriosis 
                and possible clinical options; and
                    (C) to update information, tools, and studies 
                currently available with respect to helping women live 
                with endometriosis; and
            (4) respectfully requests that the Secretary of the Senate 
        transmit a copy of this resolution to the Secretary of Health 
        and Human Services.
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