***ACTION ALERT*** Recent Transmission of Viral Hepatitis C and HIV to Four Transplant Patients Underscores Prevalence

Action Alert
Recent Transmission of Viral Hepatitis C and HIV to Four Transplant Patients Underscores Prevalence

Urge Congress to Support H.R. 2552 and S. 1445, the Hepatitis C Epidemic Control and Prevention Act


The News…

The news of four transplant recipients contracting Viral Hepatitis C (HCV) and HIV underscores the prevalence of HCV in the United States.

While contracting HCV from organ donations is rare, prevalence of HCV is not. HCV is the most common blood-borne, chronic viral disease in the United States, with an estimated 5 million Americans having been infected with HCV.

What Can I Do?

Call your US Representative and Senator and tell whoever answers the phone:

Educate them about Viral Hepatitis C (HCV) and the need to address the growing epidemic.

§ HCV is the most common, chronic, blood-borne viral infection in the United States.
§ Chronic liver disease is among the top ten killers of Americans 25 years of age and older. Hepatitis C is the most common cause of chronic liver disease in the U.S. accounting for 40-60% of all cases.
§ HCV-related end-stage liver disease is a leading cause of death among people coinfected with HIV.
§ Without intervention, the hepatitis C epidemic is expected to result in 3.1 million years of life lost by 2019. The projected direct and indirect costs of the current HCV epidemic, if left unchecked, will be over $85 billion for the years 2010 through 2019.

What Can Congress Do?

Urge the Representative or Senator to vote to cosponsor HR 2552 and S 1445, the Hepatitis C Epidemic Control and Prevention Act.

§ This bill that would establish a comprehensive federal hepatitis C research and prevention program.
§ This bill also provides increases for other vital health and social service programs.
§ Congress can’t turn its back on people who rely on these programs to stay healthy and productive.

Ask that once they have had a chance to review the bill and cosponsor it, respectfully ask that any follow up (in writing) about their decision of whether or not to join as a cosponsor for this important bill.

You can call your Representative toll-free at 1-800-614-2803. You will get the Capitol Switchboard. Ask to be connected to your Representative or Senator’s office. If you don’t know who they are, just go to www.house.gov or www.senate.gov and enter your zip code in the upper left corner.

Thank you for taking action!
.
Marcus Peterson, Government Relations Program Associate
National Alliance of State & Territorial AIDS Directors
444 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 339, Washington, DC 20001
Phone: (202) 434-8003 Fax: (202) 434-8092
mpeterson@nastad.org www.nastad.org
"Bridging Science, Policy, and Public Health"