House Resolution 1716
By: Representatives Hilton of the 48th, Rice of the 139th, Ballard of the 147th, and Seabaugh
of the 34th
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing May 2026 as Myositis Awareness Month; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, residents of Georgia are among those affected by myositis and other rare
diseases—nearly one in ten Americans have a rare disease; and
WHEREAS, idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, collectively referred to as myositis, are
rare, chronic autoimmune muscle-wasting diseases that often feature debilitating muscle
inflammation, pain, fatigue, and difficulty swallowing and can result in myositis-associated
interstitial lung disease; and
WHEREAS, more research is needed to identify the causes of and treatments for myositis,
which includes anti-MDA5 autoantibody-positive myositis, antisynthetase syndrome,
dermatomyositis, juvenile dermatomyositis, immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy,
inclusion body myositis, and polymyositis; and
WHEREAS, myositis is difficult to diagnose, often leading to delayed treatment, and
individuals with the disease frequently struggle to find healthcare providers with expertise
in their condition; and
WHEREAS, all who suffer from myositis experience a reduced quality of life, and no cure
has been found; life expectancy is often shortened, particularly for those with inclusion body
myositis, and women and people of color with all forms of myositis experience pronounced
health disparities; and
WHEREAS, The Myositis Association is the leading international patient advocacy
organization serving the myositis community, focusing on patient services, education,
research, and public awareness in the pursuit of a world without myositis.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
the members of this body recognize May 2026 as Myositis Awareness Month.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the
public and the press.