Bill Text: IL HR0021 | 2017-2018 | 100th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Recognizes that Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) is a tragic, disabling disease that destroys the lives of many patients and takes a severe toll on their families, friends, and caretakers. Recognizes and affirms the commitment of Illinois to improving the availability and quality of medical and supportive care for ME patients. Recommends that the National Institutes of Health fund ME research at a level commensurate with similarly burdensome disease. Encourages universities in Illinois to focus research attention on this underserved disease. Recommends that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention disseminate new ME medical education, updated in accordance with the National Academy of Medicine recommendations, the recommendations of the United States Department of Health and Human Services' CFS Advisory Committee, and the best practices of disease experts. Encourages media organizations to inform the public about the seriousness of the disease.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)

Status: (Passed) 2017-05-09 - Resolution Adopted [HR0021 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2017-HR0021-Introduced.html

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HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), has been found by the National
Academy of Medicine (NAM) to be "a serious, chronic, complex,
and systemic disease that frequently and dramatically limits
the activities of affected patients", leaving them with a lower
quality of life than those suffering from multiple sclerosis,
stroke, renal failure, heart failure, and other chronic
diseases; and
WHEREAS, Between 39,000 and 99,000 of Illinois residents of
all ages, races, and genders are believed to be afflicted with
ME, with an estimated 836,000 to 2.5 million Americans
afflicted and 17 million worldwide; and
WHEREAS, ME persists for years or even decades because of a
lack of treatments, leaving one quarter of patients homebound
or bedbound, with many students unable to attend school and
50-75% of patients unable to work at an annual cost of $17
million to $24 million in medical expenses and lost
productivity; and
WHEREAS, The National Academy of Medicine noted a lack of
knowledge about the disease due to a "paucity of research" and
"remarkably little research funding", and concluded that "more

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research is essential"; and
WHEREAS, The National Academy of Medicine noted that the
medical community "generally still doubts the existence or
seriousness of this disease" and patients have difficulty being
diagnosed or accessing quality medical care; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we:
(1) Recognize that Myalgic Encephalomyelitis is a tragic,
disabling disease that destroys the lives of many patients
and takes a severe toll on their families, friends, and
caretakers;
(2) Recognize and affirm the commitment of Illinois to
improving the availability and quality of medical and
supportive care for ME patients;
(3) Recommend that the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
fund ME research at a level commensurate with similarly
burdensome diseases;
(4) Encourage universities in Illinois to focus research
attention on this underserved disease;
(5) Recommend that the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention disseminate new ME medical education, updated
in accordance with the National Academy of Medicine
recommendations, the recommendations of the CFS Advisory
Committee of the United States Department of Health and

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Human Services's, and the best practices of disease
experts; and
(6) Encourage media organizations to inform the public
about the seriousness of the disease.