Ryan Nicol
Republican Rep. John Snyder is once again sponsoring a resolution to recognize individuals suffering from tardive dyskinesia (TD).
Snyder filed a similar resolution last Session, which resulted in the state acknowledging TD Awareness Week in the first week of May 2021. This year’s measure (HR 8021) would also slot the week of awareness for the first week of May.
Snyder’s resolution this Session, which he filed Friday, tags onto a similar proposal from GOP Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez, who also carried last year’s Senate version.
TD is “characterized by random, involuntary, and uncontrolled movements of different muscles in the face, trunk, and extremities,” as explained by the resolutions from Rodriguez and Synder. The Movement Disorders Policy Coalition describes TD as “an involuntary, sometimes irreversible movement disorder that can occur due to use of antipsychotics, commonly prescribed to treat bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and depression, or other medications.”
The medications referenced are used to treat serious mental health conditions by working as dopamine receptor blocking agents (DRBAs). But some patients will develop TD as a side effect. TD symptoms can surface even months or years after they’ve stopped taking those medications.
The resolutions cite data showing more than 600,000 Americans suffer from TD, and that a quarter of patients who take DRBAs will experience TD.
Last year’s resolutions were not recurring, leading to Rodriguez and Snyder revisiting this issue in the 2022 Legislative Session. Gov. Ron DeSantis also previously signed a proclamation to help spotlight the movement disorder. Several other states also have recognized TD Awareness Week.
Individuals suffering from TD often are misdiagnosed. Advocacy groups have pushed lawmakers to spotlight the condition so patients can receive the care they need. The FDA recently approved two new treatments for TD, though patients taking these medications must be screened for potential TD symptoms.
DRBAs also can be used to treat certain gastrointestinal disorders, such as gastroparesis and nausea. Drinking alcohol in combination with the use of DRBAs can increase the chances of developing TD. Postmenopausal women and people with mood disorders also are at higher risk of developing TD.
