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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, 2004 is the 50th anniversary of the successful 
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nationwide trial of the injectable killed polio vaccine that 
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included "polio pioneer" children; and
 
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WHEREAS, The injectable polio vaccines eliminated 
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naturally occurring polio cases in the United States but have 
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not yet eliminated polio in other parts of the world;

and
 
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    WHEREAS, As few as 57 percent of American children receive 
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all doses of necessary vaccines during childhood, including the 
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polio vaccine;

and
 
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    WHEREAS, The success of the polio vaccines has caused 
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people to forget the 1,630,000 Americans born before the 
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development of the vaccines who had polio during the epidemics 
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in the middle of the 20th century;

and
 
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    WHEREAS, At least 70 percent of paralytic polio survivors, 
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and 40 percent of nonparalytic polio survivors, are developing 
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post-polio sequelae, which are unexpected and often disabling 
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symptoms that occur up to 35 years after the poliovirus attack, 
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including overwhelming fatigue, muscle weakness, muscle and 
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joint pain, sleep disorders, heightened sensitivity to 
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anesthesia, cold pain, and difficulty swallowing and 
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breathing;

and
 
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    WHEREAS, 2004 is the 130th anniversary of the diagnosis of 
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the first case of post-polio sequelae and the 20th anniversary 
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of the creation of the International Post-Polio Task Force;

and
 
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    WHEREAS, Research and clinical work by members of the 
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International Post-Polio Task Force have discovered that 
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post-polio sequelae can be treated, and even prevented, if 
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polio survivors are taught to conserve energy and use assistive 
 


 









HR0659
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devices to stop damaging and killing the reduced number of 
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overworked, polio virus-damaged neurons in the spinal cord and 
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brain that survived the polio attack; and


 
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    WHEREAS, Many medical professionals, and polio survivors, 
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do not know of the existence of post-polio sequelae, or of the 
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available treatments; and
 
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    WHEREAS, The mission of the International Post-Polio Task 
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Force and support groups in our State includes educating 
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medical professionals and the 20,000,000 polio survivors in the 
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world about post-polio sequelae through the international 
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post-polio letter campaign, television public service 
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announcements provided by the Columbia Broadcasting System and 
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the National Broadcasting System Company, and a continuing plot 
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about polio and post-polio sequelae on the National 
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Broadcasting Company television series "American Dreams"; 
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therefore, be it
 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
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the House of Representatives (1) recognizes that there is a 
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need for every child to be vaccinated against polio; (2) 
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recognizes the 1,630,000 Americans who survived polio, their 
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new battle with post-polio sequelae, and the need for education 
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and appropriate medical care; and (3) proclaims 2004 as The 
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Year of Polio Awareness to promote vaccination and post-polio 
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sequelae education and treatment; and be it further
 
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    RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Public Health is 
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urged to establish a public awareness campaign to inform the 
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general public and local boards of health, physicians, 
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hospitals, clinics about post-polio sequelae; and be it further
 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to the Director of Public Health.