Scott, Booker Introduce Resolution Naming September Sickle Cell Awareness Month

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Scott (R-SC) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced a bipartisan resolution designating September as Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month to educate communities across the United States about sickle cell disease and the need to combat it. The resolution was cosponsored by Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.),  Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Doug Jones (D-Ala.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).

In 2018, Senator Scott’s sickle cell legislation, S. 2465, the Sickle Cell Disease and Other Heritable Blood Disorders Research, Surveillance, Prevention, and Treatment Act, was signed into law. As the two-year anniversary of the bill’s passage approaches, Senator Scott continues to advocate for the sickle cell community. 

“Sickle cell disease has been overshadowed for years, however, I have hope that through consistent advocacy we can move towards identifying a cure. This disease can result in a lifetime of pain for some, and although we have known about it for more than 100 years, treatments continue to be limited,” said Senator Tim Scott. “I am grateful that my bill was signed into law during the last Congress, but we have more work ahead of us to ensure that we are able to find a way to fight this disease.”

“Sickle cell disease is the most common inherited blood disorder in our country and yet research, treatment and awareness efforts for the disease still lag far behind other chronic illnesses,” said Sen. Booker. “While passing the Sickle Cell Disease and Other Heritable Blood Disorders Research, Surveillance, Prevention, and Treatment Act into law was an important step forward, more work and research remains to be done. I am proud to introduce the Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month resolution with Senator Scott and continue the fight to raise more awareness and find a cure for this disease.”

While the CDC estimates that 100,000 Americans suffer from SCD, the exact figure is unknown due to limited efforts to collect data on the disease. At least 17 innovative therapies (gene, cell, and otherwise) are currently in development to treat SCD, but current treatment options are limited, and access gaps are sure to persist, even as cures and other promising medications come to market.

Read more about Senator Scott’s sickle cell bill HERE.

Full text of the resolution is available HERE.

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