Whereas up to 4,000,000 adults in the United States are living with Sjögren’s disease (Sjögren’s);

Whereas Sjögren’s is a systemic autoimmune disease that affects the entire body;

Whereas the characteristic symptoms of Sjögren’s include profound fatigue, extensive dryness throughout the body (including the eyes, mouth, esophagus, sinuses, skin, and genitals), and pain;

Whereas complications from Sjögren’s include chronic pain, major organ involvement, neuropathies, cognitive dysfunction, gastrointestinal dysfunction, interstitial cystitis, lymphomas, and, in babies whose mothers have Sjögren’s, fetal heartblock ;

Whereas the average age for a diagnosis of Sjögren’s is currently between the ages of 45 and 55, although Sjögren’s can affect individuals of all ages;

Whereas the ratio of women to men living with a Sjögren’s diagnosis is approximately 9 to 1;

Whereas the cause of Sjögren’s is not known, and there is no single test to diagnose the autoimmune disease;

Whereas individuals living with Sjögren’s must bear high out-of-pocket costs in order to afford medications to control inflammation and dryness, relieve joint, muscle, and nerve pain, reduce acid reflux due to limited saliva production, and treat the devastating complications of oral, ocular, and other dryness;

Whereas rheumatologists primarily treat individuals with Sjögren’s, but a wide variety of other specialists are also involved with the treatment of Sjögren’s, including dentists, neurologists, ocular specialists, otolaryngologists, gastroenterologists, nephrologists, and pulmonologists;

Whereas Sjögren’s is often difficult to diagnose and, since many health care providers are unfamiliar with the disease, additional training is essential to ensure patients receive accurate and timely diagnoses;

Whereas the physical and psychological impact of Sjögren’s can severely affect an individual’s duties at home and in the workplace;

Whereas there is a need to update the nomenclature to classify Sjögren’s as a disease, including by the Federal Government;

Whereas there is a need for more research to understand the pathology that leads to the autoimmune attack in Sjögren’s, including the role of the interplay of the immune and nervous systems;

Whereas clinical trials are underway to test the efficacy of targeted therapies that will address the cause of Sjögren’s, and research is underway to identify genes and environmental influences that may contribute to understanding who is susceptible to Sjögren’s; and

Whereas more research is needed to identify new therapies and clear biomarkers to help individuals with Sjögren’s manage the symptoms and complications as they age: Now, therefore, be it