118 HRES 1550 IH: Designating October 23, 2024, as “AADC Deficiency Awareness Day”. U.S. House of Representatives 2024-10-22 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV118th CONGRESS2d SessionH. RES. 1550IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESOctober 22, 2024Mr. Murphy (for himself and Mr. Lynch) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and CommerceRESOLUTIONDesignating October 23, 2024, as AADC Deficiency Awareness Day.

Whereas a rare disease is a disease or disorder that affects a small number of patients, currently defined as a condition that affects fewer than 200,000 people in the United States at any given time; Whereas there are more than 7,000 rare diseases that altogether affect an estimated 25 million to 30 million people in the United States;Whereas children make up more than half of the estimated 25 million to 35 million people in the United States living with a rare disease;Whereas Aromatic L-Amino Acid Decarboxylase (AADC) Deficiency is a genetic neurologic rare disease that severely debilitates a patient’s development, motor skills, growth, cognitive and language skills, and limits a patient’s life; Whereas AADC Deficiency results from an inherited genetic disease where patients lack the AADC enzyme required to create dopamine, without which, patients will never achieve motor milestones like holding their heads up, sitting, and standing, nor will they develop the ability to communicate or perform the most basic life functions;Whereas patients are diagnosed through genetic and other biochemical tests;Whereas patients suffering from AADC Deficiency often have unexplained low muscle tone and experience other symptoms like developmental delays and involuntary eye movements;Whereas there have been approximately 200 cases of AADC Deficiency reported worldwide;Whereas AADC Deficiency is often mistaken for other diseases like cerebral palsy, epilepsy, or autism;Whereas the Congress can raise awareness of AADC Deficiency in the public and medical community in the United States;Whereas awareness of AADC Deficiency will help patients who may be experiencing the symptoms of AADC Deficiency recognize their disease and pursue appropriate treatment; andWhereas improved awareness and education around AADC Deficiency will increase medical representation for individuals suffering from AADC Deficiency: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives—(1)designates AADC Deficiency Awareness Day; and(2)recognizes the importance of improving awareness and education around AADC Deficiency.