Senators Marleau and Booher offered the following resolution:
Senate Resolution No. 106.
A resolution to designate November 2013 as Alpha-1 Awareness Month in the state of Michigan.
Whereas, Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (Alpha-1) is one of the most common serious hereditary disorders in the world and can result in life-threatening liver disease in children and adults or lung disease in adults; and
Whereas, An estimated 100,000 children and adults in the U.S. have the severe deficiency. An estimated 25 million in the U.S. carry a single deficient gene that causes Alpha-1 and may pass the gene on to their children; and
Whereas, Alpha-1 is widely underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed. Fewer than 10 percent of those predicted to have Alpha-1 have been accurately diagnosed. It often takes an average of five doctors and seven years from the time symptoms first appear before a proper diagnosis is made. However, Alpha-1 is easily detected using a simple test; and
Whereas, Alpha-1 is the most common known genetic risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Lung disease is the most frequent cause of disability and early death among affected persons, striking in the prime of life and a major reason for lung transplants; and
Whereas, Alpha-1 originates in the liver and can lead to liver failure at any time in life. It is the leading genetic cause of liver transplantation in children. Currently, the only treatment for liver disease of Alpha-1 is a liver transplant; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate, That November 2013 be hereby declared as Alpha-1 Awareness Month. We encourage awareness activities throughout the state to educate both the medical community and citizens on this serious and often fatal disease; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Department of Community Health, Alpha-1 community, Alpha-1 Association, Alpha-1 Foundation, and AlphaNet with our highest esteem.