04-R 011

2004 -- H 7034

Enacted 01/08/04

H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N

PROCLAIMING 2004 AS "THE YEAR OF POLIO AWARENESS"

Introduced By: Representatives Montanaro, Kennedy, R Anderson, Kilmartin, and Harwood

Date Introduced: January 08, 2004

     WHEREAS, 2004 is the 50th anniversary of the successful nationwide trial of the

injectable killed polio vaccine that included "polio pioneer" children; and

     WHEREAS, The injectable polio vaccines have eliminated naturally occurring polio

cases in the United States but have not yet eliminated polio in other parts of the world; and

     WHEREAS, As few as 57 percent of American children receive all doses of necessary

vaccines during childhood, including the polio vaccine; and

     WHEREAS, The success of the polio vaccines has caused people to forget the 1,630,000

Americans born before the development of the vaccines who had polio during the epidemics in

the middle of the 20th century; and

     WHEREAS, At least 70 percent of paralytic polio survivors and 40 percent of

nonparalytic polio survivors are developing Post-Polio Sequelae, the unexpected and often

disabling symptoms that occur up to 35 years after the poliovirus attack, including overwhelming

fatigue, muscle weakness, muscle and joint pain, sleep disorders, heightened sensitivity to

anesthesia, cold pain and difficulty swallowing and breathing; and

     WHEREAS, 2004 is the 130th anniversary of the diagnosis of the first case of Post-Polio

Sequelae and the 29th anniversary of the creation of the International Post-Polio Task Force; and

     WHEREAS, Research and clinical work by members of the International Post-Polio Task

Force have discovered that Post-Polio Sequelae can be treated – and even prevented – if polio

survivors are taught to conserve energy and use assistive devices to stop damaging and killing the

reduced number of overworked, poliovirus-damaged neurons in the spinal cord and brain that

survived the polio attack; and

     WHEREAS, Many medical professionals and polio survivors do not know of the

existence of Post-Polio Sequelae, or of available treatments; and

     WHEREAS, The mission of the International Post-Polio Task Force and support groups

in our state includes educating medical professionals and polio survivors about Post-Polio

Sequelae; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That:

     (1) There is a need for every child to be vaccinated against polio;

     (2) The 1,630,000 Americans who survived polio face a new battle with Post-Polio

Sequelae, and need for education and appropriate medical care;

     (3) The Department of Health shall establish a public awareness campaign to inform the

general public about Post-Polio Sequelae, for which purpose the commissioner shall distribute the

Post-Polio Letter to local boards of health, physicians, hospitals, clinics and to consumers; and be

it further

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby proclaims 2004 to be "The Year of Polio Awareness"; and be it

further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Director of the Department of Health.

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LC00511

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