Recognizing the benefits of vitamin D intake for preventing respiratory infection and COVID-19 complications, and to encourage the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration to issue guidance on vitamin D intake for elderly and immunocompromised individuals during the coronavirus pandemic.

IV 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. RES. 116 Recognizing the benefits of vitamin D intake for preventing respiratory infec- tion and COVID–19 complications, and to encourage the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration to issue guidance on vitamin D intake for elderly and immunocompromised individuals during the coronavirus pandemic. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FEBRUARY 11, 2021 Mr. GROTHMAN submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce RESOLUTION Recognizing the benefits of vitamin D intake for preventing respiratory infection and COVID–19 complications, and to encourage the Centers for Disease Control and Pre- vention and the Food and Drug Administration to issue guidance on vitamin D intake for elderly and immunocompromised individuals during the coronavirus pandemic. Whereas, in December 2020, 120 health, science, and medical experts from the United Kingdom, the United States, and Europe sent an open letter to world governments as- serting that there is clear scientific evidence that vitamin D reduces COVID–19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths; VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:58 Feb 12, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR116.IH HR116 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HRES 116 IH Whereas, in July 2020, the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR), the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE), the Endocrine Society, the European Calcified Tissue Society, the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF), and the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) issued joint guidance on vitamin D intake during the COVID–19 pandemic; Whereas over 40 percent of American adults are vitamin D deficient and deficiency rates within African-American and Latino populations range from 70 to 80 percent; Whereas, in September 2020, United States infectious dis- ease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci publicly commented on the importance of vitamin D for immune health and vita- min D deficiencies resulting in increased susceptibility to infection; Whereas the United Kingdom National Health Service has a program to distribute vitamin D supplements to over 2.5 million at-risk individuals, including seniors, individuals in long-term care facilities, and individuals with pre- existing health conditions, during the COVID–19 pan- demic; Whereas Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland’s public health agencies issued guidance encouraging vitamin D intake throughout the COVID–19 pandemic; Whereas several studies conducted by medical research teams and United States medical institutions have dem- onstrated a correlation between vitamin D deficiencies and poor COVID–19 patient outcomes, including studies by Northwestern University and the University of Chi- cago Medicine; VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:58 Feb 12, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR116.IH HR116 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HRES 116 IH Whereas Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health is organizing a clinical trial of 2,700 participants to examine the relationship between vitamin D and COVID–19 outcomes; and Whereas there are over 30 active clinical trials and 13 com- pleted clinical trials worldwide examining the correlation between COVID–19 infection and vitamin D: Now, there- fore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 1 (1) recognizes the benefits of vitamin D intake 2 against preventing respiratory complications and in- 3 fection; 4 (2) recognizes the benefits of vitamin D intake 5 for improved immune health and response; 6 (3) recognizes the correlation between vitamin 7 D deficiencies and poor COVID–19 patient out- 8 comes, including hospital stays, ICU admittance, 9 and mortality; and 10 (4) encourages the Centers for Disease Control 11 and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administra- 12 tion to update existing guidance and issue new guid- 13 ance on vitamin D intake during the COVID–19 14 pandemic. 15 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:58 Feb 12, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\HR116.IH HR116 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS