Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act of 2009 (HR 3974)

A Call to Action! Do it TODAY!

Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act of 2009 (HR 3974)

Contact your Representative!

The Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Prevention and Control Act of 2009 was introduced by U.S. Representatives Mike Honda, (D-CA) and Charles Dent (R-PA) with original cosponsors Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Edolphus Towns (D-NY), Anh “Joseph” Cao (R-LA), David Wu (D-OR), Todd Platts (R-PA), Donna M. Christiansen (D-VI), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Bobby Rush (D-IL), George Butterfield (D-NC), and Judy Chu (D-CA).

We need your Representative to join as cosponsor and show their support for addressing the viral hepatitis epidemic!

In order to pass this historic legislation, we need you to take a few minutes to make an important phone call or send an email! This bill affects people at risk for and chronically infected with hepatitis B and C by expanding education for patients and health care providers, increasing access to hepatitis testing and liver cancer screening, improving the capacity of health departments to detect outbreaks, and supporting viral hepatitis prevention and education programs across the U.S..

Make a Phone Call! Send an Email!

Call or email your U.S. House Representative’s office in Washington, DC. Ask to speak to the staff person who handles health care issues. You might get their voicemail or you might reach this person directly. Even if you reach voice mail, leave your message.

Sample call/email script:


“My name is ____________ , I live in (city, state), and I care about viral hepatitis. Hepatitis is a serious health problem in the U.S., in my District, and is a very important issue to me. I urge Representative _____________ to show leadership in the fight against hepatitis and liver cancer by cosponsoring Representative Honda and Dent’s Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control Act, HR 3974. Thank you.”

If there is time, tell them why this issue is important to you. You will probably only have time for 2-3 sentences. Members of Congress and their staff pay attention to their constituents. They need to hear how viral hepatitis affects you, the people you care for, your friends, family, and co-workers. Our lawmakers are unaware of viral hepatitis and how it impacts people in their Districts so they really need to hear from you!

You can reach your Representative by calling the Capitol Switchboard at 1-202-224-3121 or email Representatives directly from http:/writerep.house.gov. If you don’t know who your Representative is, go to www.congress.org http://www.congress.org and enter your zip code in the upper right corner. If your representative is already a sponsor, thank him for his sponsorship and offer to provide your experience/expertise in this issue as needed. Use your social and professional networks to get more people like you to call their representatives! Forward this email widely!

Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act of 2009 (HR 3974)

The Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control Act would amend the Public Health Service Act to establish, promote, and support a comprehensive prevention, research, and medical management referral program for chronic hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis C virus infection, to include the following:

· EDUCATION AND TRAINING
· HEPATITIS B and C DISEASE CONTROL
· IMMUNIZATION
· STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ADULT VIRAL HEPATITIS COORDINATORS
· MEDICAL REFERRAL
· SURVEILLANCE
· EXPANDED ACCESS TO SERVICES FOR UNDERSERVED AND
DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED POPULATIONS
· RESEARCH
· INTEGRATION WITH EXISTING PROGRAMS


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hepatitis and Liver Cancer: A National Strategy for Prevention and Control of Hepatitis B and C
Released:
January 11, 2010
Type:
Consensus Report
Topic(s):
Diseases, Public Health
Activity:
Prevention and Control of Viral Hepatitis Infections in the United States
Board(s):
Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice

Up to 5.3 million people—2 percent of the U.S. population—are living with chronic hepatitis B or hepatitis C. These diseases are more common than HIV/AIDS in the U.S. Yet, because hepatitis B and hepatitis C often present no symptoms, most people who have them are unaware until they develop liver cancer or liver disease many years later.

A new IOM study finds that these diseases are not widely recognized as serious public health problems, and as a result, that viral hepatitis prevention, control, and surveillance programs have inadequate resources. The report concludes that the current approach to the prevention and control of chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C is not working. As a remedy, the IOM recommends increased knowledge and awareness about chronic viral hepatitis among health care providers, social service providers, and the public; improved surveillance for hepatitis B and hepatitis C; and better integration of viral hepatitis services.

Report at a Glance
Press Release (HTML)
Report Brief (PDF, HTML)

http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2010/Hepatitis-and-Liver-Cancer-A-National-Strategy-for-Prevention-and-Control-of-Hepatitis-B-and-C.aspx

http://www.iom.edu/~/media/Files/Report%20Files/2010/Hepatitis-and-Liver-Cancer-A-National-Strategy-for-Prevention-and-Control-of-Hepatitis-B-and-C/Hepatitis%20and%20Liver%20Cancer%202010%20%20Report%20Brief.ashx