FL H9079

Designates May 2014 as "Lupus Awareness Month" in Florida to support an estimated 1.5 million Americans with lupus.

Identifies lupus as a chronic autoimmune disease causing inflammation and tissue damage to nearly every organ system, potentially affecting the skin, joints, lungs, heart, kidneys, and brain.

Notes that African-American women are 2 to 3 times more likely than Caucasian women to develop lupus, along with higher rates among Hispanic, Asian-American, and Native-American women.

Highlights that lupus is difficult to diagnose due to symptoms mimicking other diseases, and that only one new drug has been FDA-approved specifically for lupus in the past 52 years despite current treatments having damaging side effects.