A resolution supporting the goals of International Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Awareness Day.

III 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION S. RES. 633 Supporting the goals of International Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Awareness Day. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES JUNE 22, 2020 Mr. MARKEY (for himself, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. BOOKER, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Ms. HARRIS, Ms. WARREN, Ms. SINEMA, and Mr. CRAMER) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions RESOLUTION Supporting the goals of International Myalgic Encephalomy- elitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Awareness Day. Whereas the National Academy of Medicine (referred to in this preamble as ‘‘NAM’’), formerly known as the Insti- tute of Medicine, has found that Myalgic Encephalomyeli- tis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (referred to in this pre- amble as ‘‘ME/CFS’’) is ‘‘a serious, chronic, complex, and systemic disease that frequently and dramatically limits the activities of affected patients’’; Whereas, in the past, outbreaks of viruses, including out- breaks of coronaviruses, have triggered an increase in ME/CFS-like symptoms in individuals infected by those viruses; VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:23 Jun 23, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR633.IS SR633 ctelli on DSK30NT082PROD with BILLS 2 •SRES 633 IS Whereas— (1) between 836,000 and 2,500,000 individuals of all ages, races, and sexes in the United States are be- lieved to be afflicted with ME/CFS, and millions of addi- tional individuals are afflicted by ME/CFS worldwide; and (2) 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 with no known cure and leaves 1⁄4 of individuals with ME/CFS housebound or bedbound for extended periods of time; Whereas between 50 and 75 percent of individuals with ME/ CFS cannot work or attend school; Whereas, in the United States, the economic toll of ME/CFS is $51,000,000,000 per year, including as much as $14,000,000,000 in medical costs and $37,000,000,000 in lost productivity; Whereas the cause of ME/CFS is unknown, there is no diag- nostic test for ME/CFS, and there is no treatment for ME/CFS approved by the Food and Drug Administra- tion; Whereas NAM has noted a ‘‘paucity of research’’ on ME/ CFS and that ‘‘more research is essential’’; Whereas individuals with ME/CFS struggle to find doctors to care for them, and ME/CFS is included in less than 1⁄3 of medical school curricula; Whereas, in recognition of the dearth of research on ME/CFS and the profound impact that the disease has on individ- uals with ME/CFS and their loved ones and caretakers, VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:23 Jun 23, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR633.IS SR633 ctelli on DSK30NT082PROD with BILLS 3 •SRES 633 IS the National Institutes of Health is ‘‘committed to unrav- eling the underlying biologic cause(s) of ME/CFS as swiftly as possible, and promoting research that will in- form the development of effective strategies for treatment and prevention of this devastating condition’’; and Whereas, in 2020, May 12 is recognized as International ME/ CFS Awareness Day: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— 1 (1) supports the goals of International Myalgic 2 Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome 3 Awareness Day; 4 (2) recognizes and affirms the commitment of 5 the United States to— 6 (A) supporting research and medical edu- 7 cation for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic 8 Fatigue Syndrome; and 9 (B) promoting awareness among health 10 professionals and the public about Myalgic En- 11 cephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; and 12 (3) recognizes the continued importance of— 13 (A) health care professionals and medical 14 researchers who care for individuals with 15 Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue 16 Syndrome; and 17 (B) individuals who work to discover the 18 cause of, and develop and improve the diagnosis 19 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:23 Jun 23, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR633.IS SR633 ctelli on DSK30NT082PROD with BILLS 4 •SRES 633 IS of, treatments for, and a cure for, Myalgic En- 1 cephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. 2 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:23 Jun 23, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR633.IS SR633 ctelli on DSK30NT082PROD with BILLS