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By virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution of Virginia in the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, there is hereby officially recognized:

Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week

WHEREAS, many people with serious, chronic mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, severe depression, or gastrointestinal disorders, including gastroparesis, nausea, and vomiting require treatment with medications that work as dopamine receptor blocking agents (DRBAs), including antipsychotics; and,

WHEREAS, while ongoing treatment with these medications can be very helpful, and even lifesaving, for many people, it can also lead to Tardive Dyskinesia (TD); and,

WHEREAS, TD is a movement disorder that is characterized by random, involuntary, and uncontrolled movements of different muscles in the face, trunk and extremities; and,

WHEREAS, TD can develop months, years, or decades after a person starts taking DRBAs and even after they have discontinued use of those medications.  Not everyone who takes a DRBA develops TD, but if it develops it is often permanent; and,

WHEREAS, it is estimated that over 600,000 Americans suffer from Tardive Dyskinesia.  According to the National Alliance for Mental Illness, one in every four patients receiving long-term treatment with an antipsychotic medication will experience TD; and,

WHEREAS, years of difficult and challenging research have resulted in recent scientific breakthroughs, with two new treatments for Tardive Dyskinesia approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration; and,

WHEREAS, TD is often unrecognized and patients suffering from the illness are commonly misdiagnosed.  Regular screening for TD in patients taking DRBA medications is recommended by the American Psychiatric Association (APA); and,

WHEREAS, Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week brings awareness to the disorder and allows the public and medical community to become more informed about Tardive Dyskinesia;  

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize May 2-8, 2022 as TARDIVE DYSKINESIA AWARENESS WEEK in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of our citizens.