Senator Peter C. Knudson proposes the following substitute bill:

1      FIBROMYALGIA AWARENESS DAY JOINT RESOLUTION
2      2011 GENERAL SESSION
3      STATE OF UTAH
4      Chief Sponsor: Peter C. Knudson
5      House Sponsor: Ronda Rudd Menlove
6     
7      LONG TITLE
8      General Description:
9          This joint resolution of the Legislature designates May 12, 2011, as Fibromyalgia
10      Awareness Day.
11      Highlighted Provisions:
12          This resolution:
13          .    designates May 12, 2011, as Fibromyalgia Awareness Day in the state of Utah;
14          .    recognizes the needs of those stricken with fibromyalgia and urges citizens of the
15      state to support the search for a cure and assist those individuals and families who
16      deal with this devastating disorder on a daily basis; and
17          .    encourages organizations with influence in the decision-making process affecting
18      patients with fibromyalgia to protect their rights to parity in access to care,
19      treatments, and research funding and opportunities.
20      Special Clauses:
21          None
22     
23      Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
24          WHEREAS, an estimated 57,000 citizens of Utah and 10 million Americans have been
25      diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, most of them women;

26          WHEREAS, fibromyalgia is a chronic pain disorder that is poorly understood but is
27      becoming an increasingly common diagnosis;
28          WHEREAS, fibromyalgia is life altering and takes a toll emotionally, financially, and
29      socially on patients, their families, friends, co-workers, and communities;
30          WHEREAS, as with other chronic pain conditions, many patients with fibromyalgia
31      will consult multiple health care providers and often live with the pain for years before it is
32      properly diagnosed and managed;
33          WHEREAS, fibromyalgia is real and can be devastating to patients and families;
34          WHEREAS, presently there is no cure for fibromyalgia, but there are treatments that
35      can help;
36          WHEREAS, people have found ways to enjoy a good quality of life while living with
37      fibromyalgia;
38          WHEREAS, when the chronically ill are physically unable to work, they often must
39      depend on government assistance to survive;
40          WHEREAS, the chronically ill are prevented from contributing to society at the level
41      they once did and place a larger burden on the health care and insurance industries and
42      businesses that must cover the costly expenses associated with their treatment, medications,
43      and sometimes hospitalizations;
44          WHEREAS, increased awareness and expanded knowledge of the realities of living
45      with fibromyalgia will allow communities at large to better support patients and their families,
46      friends, co-workers, and employers who struggle with the challenges of this chronic pain
47      disorder;
48          WHEREAS, there are common barriers that impede access to pain care for those with
49      fibromyalgia;
50          WHEREAS, these barriers promote undue suffering and untreated, undertreated, or
51      inappropriately treated pain; and
52          WHEREAS, May 12 is recognized internationally as Fibromyalgia Awareness Day:
53          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah
54      designates May 12, 2011, as Fibromyalgia Awareness Day in the state of Utah.
55          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature recognizes the needs of those
56      stricken with fibromyalgia and urges citizens of the state to support the search for a cure and

57      assist those individuals and families who deal with this devastating disorder on a daily basis.
58          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature encourages those with influence in
59      the decision-making process affecting patients with fibromyalgia, including the insurance
60      industry, health care providers, the Utah Drug Use Review Board, and the Utah Pharmacy and
61      Therapeutics Committee, to protect these patients' rights to parity in access to care, treatment,
62      and research funding, and opportunities.
63          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the National
64      Fibromyalgia Association, the Association for Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain, the Utah
65      Fibromyalgia Association, the Utah Department of Health, the University of Utah School of
66      Medicine, the Utah Association of Independent Insurance Agents, the Organization for
67      Fibromyalgia and Fatigue, Education and Research, the Utah Drug Use Review Board, the
68      Utah Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, the Utah Medical Association, and the members
69      of Utah's congressional delegation.