Biden Resolution Designates May 2007 as National Autoimmune Diseases Awareness Month

May 4, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Senate unanimously passed U.S. Senator Joe Biden's (D-DE) resolution, S. Res. 116, which designates May 2007 as "National Autoimmune Diseases Awareness Month" and supports efforts to increase awareness of autoimmune diseases and increase funding for autoimmune disease research.

"By declaring the month of May to be National Autoimmune Diseases Awareness Month, Congress is sending a clear message that autoimmune diseases are a real national health concern," Sen. Biden said. "Autoimmune diseases are difficult to diagnose and treatment is often delayed, causing unnecessary suffering for patients. By drawing attention to this problem, this resolution can help educate the public about autoimmune diseases as well as the need for increased research funding to help develop better diagnoses and faster, more effective treatments for these diseases."

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that at least 23 million people nationwide are afflicted by autoimmune disease. Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system attacks the body's own tissues and can affect any part of the body. Scientists have determined that autoimmunity plays a role in more than 80 diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, Lupus, Crohn's disease, Type 1 diabetes, and multiple sclerosis. Researchers suspect at least 40 additional diseases having an autoimmune basis.

In 2000, the Senate passed the Children's Health Act, which included a Biden provision to help the National Institutes of Health combat autoimmune diseases. This legislation helped develop an organized and comprehensive approach to researching autoimmune diseases at NIH. Upon the passage of the Children's Health Act, Sen. Biden said, "History shows that medical breakthroughs in one disease often come as the result of research advances in a completely separate disease that was thought to be unrelated. In order to make rapid progress toward a cure for autoimmune diseases it is important that there be a continuous, extensive, and coordinated exchange of information among all the research groups working on autoimmunity, even though the specific diseases being studied may vary."

Seven years later, this could not be more true. Autoimmune diseases are often chronic, disabling diseases that require lifelong care and monitoring. The American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association found that for the average patient, it takes more than four years and costs more than $50,000 to get a correct diagnosis.

Researchers suggest that 5-8 percent of the population lives with these diseases. Since a disproportionate number of these people are women, autoimmune diseases rank as one of the top ten leading causes of death for women of working and childbearing age.

Scientists continue to search for prevention and treatment techniques. Through research grants, scientists at NIH have been able to study the immune system factors and the roles of genetics and infectious agents. With more attention and funding, scientists expect more strides in understanding and treating these diseases.

Source: Senator Joe Biden