- Friday, September 11th, 2020
Tim Scott, Cory Booker introduce Sickle Cell Awareness Month resolution
Sen. Tim Scott continues his efforts to fight sickle cell disease.
Scott and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker introduced a resolution Thursday 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.
“Sickle cell disease has been overshadowed for years; however, I have hope that through consistent advocacy we can move towards identifying a cure,” Scott said. “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. 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.”
While the CDC estimates that 100,000 Americans suffer from sickle cell disease, the exact figure is unknown due to limited efforts to collect data on the disease. At least 17 therapies are currently in development to treat the disease, but current treatment options are limited, and access gaps are sure to persist, even as cures and other promising medications come to market.
In 2018, 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.