Title: Designating the week of May 1, 2022, through May 7, 2022, as "Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week".
Policy area: Health

Summary:
This resolution supports the designation of Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week. Tardive dyskinesia is a movement disorder characterized by involuntary and uncontrolled movements of muscles in the face, torso, and extremities. It is caused by prolonged use of certain medications, including ones used to treat schizophrenia.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1107 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1107

Designating the week of May 1, 2022, through May 7, 2022, as ``Tardive 
                      Dyskinesia Awareness Week''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 11, 2022

 Mr. Peters submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                  the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Designating the week of May 1, 2022, through May 7, 2022, as ``Tardive 
                      Dyskinesia Awareness Week''.

Whereas many people with serious, chronic mental illness, such as schizophrenia 
        and other schizoaffective disorders, bipolar disorder, or severe 
        depression, require treatment with medications that work as dopamine 
        receptor blocking agents (referred to in this preamble as ``DRBAs''), 
        including antipsychotics;
Whereas, while ongoing treatment with DRBAs can be very helpful, and even 
        lifesaving, for many people it can also lead to tardive dyskinesia;
Whereas many people who have gastrointestinal disorders, including 
        gastroparesis, nausea, and vomiting, also require treatment with DRBAs;
Whereas treatment of gastrointestinal disorders with DRBAs can be very helpful, 
        but for many patients can lead to tardive dyskinesia;
Whereas tardive dyskinesia is a movement disorder that is characterized by 
        random, involuntary, and uncontrolled movements of different muscles in 
        the face, trunk, and extremities;
Whereas, in some cases, tardive dyskinesia may--

    (1) cause people to experience movement of the arms, legs, fingers, and 
toes;

    (2) affect the tongue, lips, and jaw; and

    (3) cause swaying movements of the trunk or hips and impact the muscles 
associated with walking, speech, eating, and breathing;

Whereas tardive dyskinesia can develop months, years, or decades after a person 
        starts taking DRBAs and even after they have discontinued use of those 
        medications;
Whereas not everyone who takes a DRBA develops tardive dyskinesia, but if 
        tardive dyskinesia develops, it is often permanent;
 Whereas common risk factors for tardive dyskinesia include advanced age and 
        alcoholism or other substance abuse disorders;
Whereas postmenopausal women and people with a mood disorder are also at higher 
        risk of developing tardive dyskinesia;
Whereas a person is at higher risk for tardive dyskinesia after taking DRBAs for 
        3 months or longer, but the longer the person is on these medications, 
        the higher the risk of developing tardive dyskinesia;
Whereas studies suggest that the overall risk of developing tardive dyskinesia 
        after taking DRBAs is between 10 and 30 percent;
Whereas it is estimated that over 600,000 people in the United States suffer 
        from tardive dyskinesia;
Whereas, according to the National Alliance for Mental Illness, 1 in every 4 
        patients receiving long-term treatment with an antipsychotic medication 
        will experience tardive dyskinesia;
 Whereas years of difficult and challenging research have resulted in recent 
        scientific breakthroughs, with 2 new treatments for tardive dyskinesia 
        approved by the Food and Drug Administration of the Department of Health 
        and Human Services;
Whereas tardive dyskinesia is often unrecognized, and patients suffering from 
        the illness are commonly misdiagnosed;
Whereas regular screening for tardive dyskinesia in patients taking DRBA 
        medications is recommended by the American Psychiatric Association;
Whereas patients suffering from tardive dyskinesia often suffer embarrassment 
        due to abnormal and involuntary movements, which leads them to withdraw 
        from society and increasingly isolate themselves as the disease 
        progresses;
Whereas caregivers of patients with tardive dyskinesia face many challenges and 
        are often responsible for the overall care of the tardive dyskinesia 
        patient; and
Whereas the House of Representatives can raise awareness of tardive dyskinesia 
        in the public and medical community: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses support for the designation of ``Tardive 
        Dyskinesia Awareness Week''; and
            (2) encourages each individual in the United States to 
        become better informed about and aware of tardive dyskinesia.
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