H.Res. 809 — Introduced in House

IV 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 809 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 18, 2021Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce RESOLUTION Supporting the designation of the third week of November, November 14 to November 20, 2021, as TED Awareness Week. Whereas the National Institutes of Health defines a rare disease as a condition that affects fewer than 200,000 people in the United States; Whereas currently there are approximately 7,000 rare diseases impacting almost 30,000,000 Americans; Whereas thyroid eye disease (TED) is a serious, progressive, and rare autoimmune condition in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy muscle and fat tissue behind the eye, causing inflammation and scar tissue to form; Whereas people living with TED often have debilitating symptoms of eye bulging, double vision, blurred vision, pain, and facial disfigurement, and in severe cases, TED can lead to blindness; Whereas people living with TED are often impacted by long-term functional, psychosocial, and economic burdens, including the inability to work or perform activities of daily living; Whereas the exact underlying process by which TED occurs is not fully understood, and TED is a serious, vision-threatening condition that can get worse over time; Whereas TED is a rare disease and is estimated to have a prevalence of 16 per 100,000 women in the United States, and 2.9 per 100,000 men in the United States; Whereas a diagnosis of TED is based upon identification of characteristic symptoms, a detailed patient history, a thorough clinical evaluation, and a variety of specialized tests; and Whereas there is a genetic component to the condition, and people who have a family member with the disease or a family member with an autoimmune disease are at a greater risk of developing the condition: Now, therefore, be it That the House of Representatives recognizes those leading advocacy organizations, including the Autoimmune Association and Prevent Blindness, that are engaged in disease awareness and patient support about TED, and supports the designation of a TED Awareness Week.