,,iii  #aaeth ,,congress  #b;d ,session 
,s4 ,,res4 #fij  ,,in ,,the ,,senate    
,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states  ,november 
#ae1 #bjah ,mr4 ,hatch submitted the    
following resolution2 which was referred
 to the ,committee on ,health1          
,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions       
,,resolution  ,affirming the importance 
of the ,orphan ,drug ,act1 applauding   
the life-saving accomplishments of the  
,act during its #ce-year history1 and   
recognizing the need to continue support
 for research and development of new    
therapies for rare diseases4  ,whereas  
#cj1jjj1jjj people in the ,united       
,states1 or nearly #a out of every #aj  
individuals in the ,united ,states1 live
 with at least #a of more than #g1jjj   
known rare diseases2 ,whereas1 in #aihc1
 the ,orphan ,drug ,act 7,public ,law   
#ig-dad2 #if ,stat4 #bjdi7 was enacted  
to provide research and development     
incentives to encourage the development 
of new therapies for diseases affecting 
less than #bjj1jjj people in the ,united

 ,states2 ,whereas1 in the #aj years    
prior to the enactment of the ,orphan   
,drug ,act1 only #aj therapies for rare 
diseases were developed by private      
industry and approved for patients2     
,whereas1 since the enactment of the    
,orphan ,drug ,act1 research and        
development of therapies for rare       
diseases has resulted in more than #fej 
new therapies for rare diseases2        
,whereas experts estimate that without  
the tax credit for testing expenses for 
drugs for rare diseases1 known as the   
,orphan ,drug ,tax ,credit1 one of the  
incentives of the ,orphan ,drug ,act1 at
 least #a_/c of those new therapies     
would likely not have been developed2   
,whereas the ,orphan ,drug ,act         
continues to lead to increased research 
and successful therapeutic development  
along the full range of rare diseases1  
including the rarest diseases2 ,whereas 
new therapies for rare diseases benefit 
the individuals affected by such        
diseases through increased life         

expectancy and improved quality of life2
 ,whereas new therapies for rare        
diseases benefit society through        
increased productivity of the           
individuals affected by such diseases   
and a potential decline in the resources
 devoted to health care1 disability1    
caregiving1 and related spending2 and   
,whereas1 despite the success of the    
,orphan ,drug ,act1 only approximately  
#e percent of the more than #g1jjj      
identified rare diseases have at least  
one treatment option approved by the    
,food and ,drug ,administration3 ,now1  
therefore1 be it  ,that the ,senate--   
7#a7 affirms the importance of the      
,orphan ,drug ,act2  7#b7 applauds the  
significant1 life-saving accomplishments
 of the ,orphan ,drug ,act during the   
course of the #ce-year history of the   
,act1 including the tremendous growth in
 research and development of new        
therapies for rare diseases and the     
resulting number of therapies approved  
by the ,food and ,drug ,administration  

for people living with rare diseases2   
7#c7 recognizes that significant        
research and development efforts and    
related investments are needed to       
develop therapies to treat and cure     
thousands of rare diseases for which no 
treatment options are currently         
available2 and  7#d7 recognizes the need
 to continue supporting public          
investment1 and encouraging private     
investment1 in research and development 
of new therapies for rare diseases4