[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 171 (Tuesday, September 6, 2022)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 54307-54308]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-19302]


 
 
                         Presidential Documents 
 
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 171 / Tuesday, September 6, 2022 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 54307]]


                Proclamation 10437 of August 31, 2022

                
National Sickle Cell Awareness Month, 2022

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Sickle cell disease (SCD) presents grave health 
                challenges for an estimated 100,000 Americans. For 
                some, it triggers intermittent episodes of pain, 
                difficulty with vision, and serious fatigue. Other 
                survivors experience this disease more acutely--SCD can 
                cause infections, strokes, and even organ failure. For 
                almost everyone impacted, coping with inherited red 
                blood cell disorders means putting plans on pause, 
                living with excruciating pain, paying for expensive 
                treatments, and hoping for a day when medications and 
                doctor visits no longer interrupt life. During National 
                Sickle Cell Awareness Month, we recognize the 
                perseverance of SCD patients, and we recommit to 
                working with our partners in State and local 
                government, the nonprofit space, and the private sector 
                to develop treatments and cures for this debilitating 
                disease.

                Like many rare diseases, SCD affects our population 
                unevenly. Black and Brown Americans are 
                disproportionately affected. About 1 in 13 Black 
                children tests positive for the sickle cell trait, and 
                about 1 in 365 Black Americans develops the disease 
                over the course of their lifetime. Due to persistent 
                systemic inequities in our health care system, these 
                same patients are also often the last to get help. Few 
                specialty clinics are available for SCD treatments, 
                information about detecting this disease is not always 
                widely shared, and pain management can be a challenge 
                due to the intermittent nature of sickle cell crises 
                and persistent racial disparities in pain assessment 
                and treatment. Moreover, there exists no universally 
                effective cure; bone marrow and stem cell transplants 
                have allowed some people to overcome SCD, but low donor 
                availability and treatment-related complications render 
                these procedures unviable for many patients.

                Medical professionals and scientists in my 
                Administration and across our Nation are working to put 
                an end to SCD. The Food and Drug Administration 
                recently approved new drug therapies to help patients 
                manage their pain. Through its ``Cure Sickle Cell 
                Initiative,'' the National Institutes of Health (NIH) 
                is striving to develop safe and effective genetic 
                therapies and exploring applications for machine 
                learning to predict organ function decline in SCD 
                patients. Additionally, the NIH has invited researchers 
                to apply for funding to support large-scale clinical 
                trials on treating SCD pain symptoms. We are closer 
                than ever to finding a cure today for all patients, and 
                I am optimistic about our progress.

                Even so, it is still important for Americans to 
                understand the signs of this disease, the risks of 
                inheriting this condition, as well as the various 
                resources available to those who test positive. Most 
                people with the sickle cell trait do not exhibit 
                symptoms, and many are unaware of their potential to 
                carry on this gene. Experts agree that it is important 
                to get tested, especially if you have family members 
                who have been diagnosed with SCD. There are also 
                helpful resources online to learn more about this 
                disease, like the Centers for Disease Control and 
                Prevention's sickle cell information page at cdc.gov/ncbddd/sicklecell/index.html.

                As we continue our quest to cure sickle cell disease, 
                let us celebrate the strides our health experts have 
                made in understanding and treating this

[[Page 54308]]

                condition. Let us offer strength to those Americans 
                fighting its effects today and unite in our mission to 
                enhance the quality of life for those diagnosed with 
                SCD.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of 
                the United States of America, by virtue of the 
                authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws 
                of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 2022 
                as National Sickle Cell Awareness Month. I call upon 
                the people of the United States to learn more about the 
                progress we are making to reduce the burden of this 
                disease on our fellow Americans.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                thirty-first day of August, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand twenty-two, and of the Independence of the 
                United States of America the two hundred and forty-
                seventh.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2022-19302
Filed 9-2-22; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3395-F2-P