| R 276 |
| 2023 -- S 0950 Enacted 05/02/2023 |
| S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N |
| PROCLAIMING MAY 1ST THROUGH MAY 7TH OF 2023, TO BE "TARDIVE DYSKINESIA (TD) AWARENESS WEEK" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND |
Introduced By: Senators Miller, Picard, Felag, McKenney, Lauria, Quezada, Ciccone, Tikoian, LaMountain, and Burke |
| Date Introduced: April 27, 2023 |
| WHEREAS, Many people with serious, chronic mental illness, such as schizophrenia, |
| bipolar disorder, severe depression, or gastrointestinal disorders, including gastroparesis, nausea, |
| and vomiting require treatment with medications that work as dopamine receptor blocking agents |
| (DRBAs), including antipsychotics; and |
| WHEREAS, While ongoing treatment with these medications can be very helpful, and |
| even lifesaving, for many people, it can also lead to Tardive Dyskinesia (TD); and |
| WHEREAS, Tardive Dyskinesia is a movement disorder that is characterized by random, |
| involuntary, and uncontrolled movements of different muscles in the face, trunk and/or |
| extremities that can vary in frequency and amplitude; and |
| WHEREAS, Tardive Dyskinesia can develop months, years, or decades after a person |
| starts taking DRBAs and even after they have discontinued use of those medications. Not |
| everyone who takes a DRBA develops TD, but if it develops it is often permanent; and |
| WHEREAS, It is estimated that over 600,000 Americans suffer from Tardive Dyskinesia. |
| According to the National Alliance for Mental Illness, one in every four patients receiving long- |
| term treatment with an antipsychotic medication will experience Tardive Dyskinesia; and |
| WHEREAS, Years of difficult and challenging research have resulted in recent scientific |
| breakthroughs, with new treatments including VMAT inhibitors for Tardive Dyskinesia approved |
| by the United States Food and Drug Administration; and |
| WHEREAS, Tardive Dyskinesia is often unrecognized and patients suffering from the |
| illness are commonly misdiagnosed. Regular screening for TD in patients taking DRBA |
| medications is recommended by the American Psychiatric Association (APA); now, therefore be |
| it |
| RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby proclaims May 1st |
| through May 7th to be "Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) Awareness Week" in the State of Rhode Island; |
| and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That this Senate hereby encourages the medical community and all |
| individuals in the United States and Rhode Island to become better informed about and aware of |
| Tardive Dyskinesia; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to Ms. Karla M. Kiriako, Director, State |
| Government Affairs-East, Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc., and Ellen Brown, Policy Analyst, BGR |
| Government Affairs, LLC. |
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| LC001972 |
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