Bill Summary
The legislation is a resolution supporting the establishment of "Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Awareness Day" on November 12, 2025. CJD is a rare and fatal brain disorder classified as a prion disease, with approximately 600 cases reported annually in the United States. The resolution highlights the disease's severe symptoms, rapid progression, and significant mortality rate, noting that it contributes to 1 in every 6,000 deaths each year. It emphasizes the need for comprehensive surveillance of prion diseases to understand their transmission and potential links to animal diseases, such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and chronic wasting disease (CWD). The resolution aims to raise public awareness about CJD, the challenges faced by affected families and caregivers, and the importance of research in both prion diseases and related conditions like Alzheimer's disease. By designating a specific day for awareness, the resolution seeks to foster a better understanding of CJD and its impacts on individuals and communities.
Possible Impacts
The legislation supporting "Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Awareness Day" could affect people in various ways. Here are three examples:
1. **Increased Awareness and Education**: The establishment of a dedicated awareness day for CJD can lead to increased public knowledge about the disease. This could help individuals recognize symptoms earlier, leading to timely medical consultations. Awareness campaigns may also inform the public about the nature of prion diseases, potentially reducing stigma and misconceptions associated with these rare conditions.
2. **Support for Affected Families and Caregivers**: Recognizing a specific day for CJD can bring attention to the challenges faced by patients, families, and caregivers. This could lead to the development of support networks, resources, and funding for caregiver assistance and mental health services. Families dealing with the emotional and financial burdens of CJD may benefit from increased community support and access to resources.
3. **Advancements in Research and Surveillance**: The resolution emphasizes the importance of prion disease surveillance and research. By supporting awareness and research initiatives, this legislation may lead to advancements in understanding CJD and related diseases. This could result in improved diagnostic methods, potential treatments, and overall public health strategies to prevent and manage prion diseases, ultimately benefiting those at risk or affected by such conditions.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 499 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 499
Supporting the goals and ideals of ``Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)
Awareness Day''.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 18, 2025
Mr. Husted submitted the following resolution; which was referred to
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Supporting the goals and ideals of ``Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)
Awareness Day''.
Whereas Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare, fatal brain disorder within a
group of illnesses called prion diseases;
Whereas CJD occurs in approximately 1 to 2 individuals per 1,000,000 each year,
resulting in approximately 600 cases annually in the United States, 85
percent of which are designated as sporadic, with no known causes, while
10 to 15 percent are deemed genetic, and less than 1 percent are deemed
acquired;
Whereas, in the early stages of the disease, CJD patients may exhibit failing
memory, behavioral changes, impaired coordination, and visual
disturbances, and as the illness progresses mental deterioration becomes
more pronounced while involuntary movements, blindness, weakness of
extremities, and ultimately coma may occur;
Whereas CJD typically leads to death within a few months to 1 year following the
onset of symptoms;
Whereas CJD is responsible for 1 in every 6,000 deaths in the United States each
year;
Whereas comprehensive prion disease surveillance is critical in order to develop
more efficient detection methods and to determine whether humans can
acquire the disease through the consumption of prion-contaminated beef
(known to cause bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or ``mad cow''
disease) or meat from cervids (deer, elk, and moose) affected by chronic
wasting disease (referred to in this preamble as ``CWD'');
Whereas CWD is a fatal condition in cervids, caused by misfolded prions, that
has been detected in cervids in more than 36 States and all 4 regions of
the United States;
Whereas monitoring the prevalence of prion diseases, including determining a
disease's incidence and whether it was acquired from animals or other
humans, is critical;
Whereas continued prion disease surveillance, particularly through examination
of postmortem human brain tissue, is imperative to evaluate whether CWD
has or can spread to humans;
Whereas the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center is the only
laboratory-based organization in the United States that monitors human
prion diseases, which is critical to protecting the public health of the
United States;
Whereas Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (referred to in this preamble
as ``ADRD'') research could benefit from the study of prion diseases,
like CJD;
Whereas caregiver and health-services research of ADRD should be applied to
prion diseases, like CJD, which share many of the same challenges;
Whereas the families and communities affected by CJD have compelling stories due
to the rarity and rapid effects of the disease;
Whereas, from the time of diagnosis, CJD presents unique challenges and burdens
for patients, their family members, and caregivers given the rapidly
progressive nature of this devastating disease; and
Whereas the establishment of November 12, 2025, as ``Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
(CJD) Awareness Day'' would raise awareness about this rare, rapidly
progressive, and invariably fatal disease: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) supports the goals and ideals of ``Creutzfeldt-Jakob
Disease (CJD) Awareness Day''; and
(2) recognizes the importance of raising awareness of this
rare brain disorder.
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