Hepatitis defense can save thousands of lives a year
By Sen. John Kerry and Rep. Michael M. Honda
The Washington Times
6:54 p.m., Tuesday, August 10, 2010
A silent killer is loose in America. It contributes to the death of 15,000 Americans a year and threatens the health of 5.3 million more. It is more common than HIV/AIDS. It is the leading cause of liver cancer - a cancer that is on the rise and continues to be a fatal and costly disease. Yet it remains unrecognized as a serious threat to public health.
This silent killer is viral hepatitis. Most people don't even know they have it until years later, when it causes cancer or liver disease. But we can help avoid such needless tragedies with prevention and surveillance programs and by educating Americans on the pervasive nature of hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
A first step is to change the way viral hepatitis is diagnosed and treated, and that is why we have introduced legislation in the Senate and the House to provide almost $600 million over the next few years to treat this deadly epidemic. Our legislation will make our health care system more efficient. More important, it will save lives.
The bills we have introduced closely mirror the recommendations in a recent report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM), "Hepatitis and Liver Cancer," which calls for a national strategy to prevent and control hepatitis B and C.
The report concludes that the current approach is not working: Americans at risk for hepatitis or living with it do not know it, and health providers are not screening for it. That should come as no surprise because there is no federal funding of core public health services for viral hepatitis. Nor is there any federally funded chronic hepatitis B and C surveillance system.
Not surprisingly, the IOM report recommends increased information 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.
Our call for a national strategy is not unlike IOM's. Specifically, our bills increase interagency coordination between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
It sets up programs to improve understanding of hepatitis B and C and requires the CDC to integrate them into existing immunization, prevention and control programs and support counseling. It also expands current vaccination programs and establishes a national chronic and acute hepatitis B and C surveillance program to identify incidence and prevalence in viral hepatitis and liver cancer.
Hepatitis B is 100 times more infectious than HIV and, left untreated, can cause liver disease, liver cancer and premature death decades after infection. About 2 billion people worldwide have been infected with hepatitis B, and about 170 million people are chronically infected with hepatitis C. Tragically, two-thirds of those infected, on average, are unaware of their status, which increases the chance of spreading the disease.
We cannot afford to be silent anymore. Our fellow citizens are dying daily because our nation lacks a comprehensive prevention, education and medical management program. Each year, about 15,000 people die from liver cancer or liver diseases related to hepatitis B and hepatitis C. That's more than 40 deaths every day.
Beyond the tragic and preventable loss of human life, there is the economic cost. Although the costs of education, research and treatment are not trivial, they are substantially less than the annual health care cost attributable to viral hepatitis in the United States.
Without effective prevention and vaccination methods, chronic hepatitis B and C are expected to cost our country billions of dollars in the coming years. The baby-boomer population is estimated to account for two out of every three cases of chronic hepatitis C. As these Americans age and enter into Medicare, they are likely to develop complications and require expensive medical interventions. In the next decade, the costs of hepatitis C to commercial insurance and Medicare will more than double, and within 20 years, Medicare costs will increase fivefold. Projecting further out, over the next 20 years, total medical costs for patients with hepatitis C infection could increase more than 2.5 times - from $30 billion to more than $85 billion.
Contrast the costs for early detection and intervention with the costs for treatment post-infection. The costs for hepatitis B vaccinations vary but range from $75 to $165, whereas treatment can cost up to $16,000 per year. Screening for hepatitis C is also relatively inexpensive compared to treatment, which can cost up to $25,000 per year. Untreated, these infections will develop into liver disease that can cost up to $110,000 per hospital admission.
Moreover, the United States is entering an era of effective therapy for chronic viral hepatitis. Improvements in current treatment and therapies are likely to be approved in the next several years that can double cure rates and cut the length of treatment in half and could confer increasingly greater benefits.
Until then, though, we have no time to waste. Our legislation, along with strategic investments in public health and prevention programs, will save billions of dollars and the lives of tens of thousands of people all over America. We urge our colleagues to support activities that promote early detection and education. Our legislation will sound the alarm on this silent killer.
Sen. John Kerry is a Massachusetts Democrat, and Rep. Michael M. Honda is a California Democrat.
Source
Showing posts with label Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act. Show all posts
August 10, 2010
August 7, 2010
NVHR: Kerry Legislation Urgently Needed To Modernize Public Health Response to Chronic Viral Hepatitis
Friday, 06 August 2010
Legislation introduced today by Senator John Kerry, "The Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act," would transform our nation's approach to identifying and treating chronic viral hepatitis B and C and is urgently needed to prevent a looming tidal wave of fatal cases costing our health care system tens of billions of dollars annually by 2024, the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR) said today. NVHR is the national coalition of public, private, and voluntary organizations dedicated to reducing the incidence of infection, morbidity, and mortality from viral hepatitis.
"On behalf of over 5 million Americans infected with chronic viral hepatitis, we very much appreciate Senator Kerry's leadership and are gratified to have his support," said Ms. Lorren Sandt, NVHR Chair and Executive Director of Caring Ambassadors Program, based in Portland, OR. "Senator Kerry's legislation is urgently needed to modernize our nation's public health response to chronic viral hepatitis. Screening and early intervention are critical to achieving better outcomes for infected patients and must be a national priority. Otherwise, our system will incur - each and every year -- thousands of avoidable deaths and billions of dollars in unnecessary costs."
"Viral hepatitis is a silent killer," Senator John Kerry said in introducing the legislation. "Most people don't even know they have hepatitis until it causes liver damage or even cancer years after the initial infection. We can easily avoid these needless tragedies with prevention, surveillance programs, and by educating Americans about this deadly disease. The bill I'm introducing today will help create a national strategy to combat and prevent hepatitis, hopefully ending this silent affliction's often deadly consequences."
The legislation authorizes funding of nearly $600 million over the next five years to direct the HHS Secretary to develop a national strategy to prevent and control viral hepatitis. The Kerry legislation is supported by at least 102 community-based organizations from coast to coast that provide viral hepatitis counseling, screening, and treatment programs. A copy of the letter the groups sent to Senator Kerry is attached. The Kerry bill is the companion to bipartisan legislation pending in the US House of Representatives, HR 3974, which currently has 61 cosponsors.
Source: National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable
Source
Also See: Kerry Introduces Bill to Fight Viral Hepatitis
Legislation introduced today by Senator John Kerry, "The Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act," would transform our nation's approach to identifying and treating chronic viral hepatitis B and C and is urgently needed to prevent a looming tidal wave of fatal cases costing our health care system tens of billions of dollars annually by 2024, the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR) said today. NVHR is the national coalition of public, private, and voluntary organizations dedicated to reducing the incidence of infection, morbidity, and mortality from viral hepatitis.
"On behalf of over 5 million Americans infected with chronic viral hepatitis, we very much appreciate Senator Kerry's leadership and are gratified to have his support," said Ms. Lorren Sandt, NVHR Chair and Executive Director of Caring Ambassadors Program, based in Portland, OR. "Senator Kerry's legislation is urgently needed to modernize our nation's public health response to chronic viral hepatitis. Screening and early intervention are critical to achieving better outcomes for infected patients and must be a national priority. Otherwise, our system will incur - each and every year -- thousands of avoidable deaths and billions of dollars in unnecessary costs."
"Viral hepatitis is a silent killer," Senator John Kerry said in introducing the legislation. "Most people don't even know they have hepatitis until it causes liver damage or even cancer years after the initial infection. We can easily avoid these needless tragedies with prevention, surveillance programs, and by educating Americans about this deadly disease. The bill I'm introducing today will help create a national strategy to combat and prevent hepatitis, hopefully ending this silent affliction's often deadly consequences."
The legislation authorizes funding of nearly $600 million over the next five years to direct the HHS Secretary to develop a national strategy to prevent and control viral hepatitis. The Kerry legislation is supported by at least 102 community-based organizations from coast to coast that provide viral hepatitis counseling, screening, and treatment programs. A copy of the letter the groups sent to Senator Kerry is attached. The Kerry bill is the companion to bipartisan legislation pending in the US House of Representatives, HR 3974, which currently has 61 cosponsors.
Source: National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable
Source
Also See: Kerry Introduces Bill to Fight Viral Hepatitis
August 5, 2010
Kerry Introduces Bill to Fight Viral Hepatitis
For Immediate Release: Thursday, August 5, 2010
CONTACT: DC Press Office, (202) 224-4159
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), today introduced the Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act of 2010, which calls for a national strategy to prevent and control Hepatitis B and C. Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA) is the legislation’s lead sponsor in the House of Representatives. The bill has been endorsed by over 100 hepatitis focused organizations from across the nation.
“Viral hepatitis is a silent killer,” Senator Kerry said. “Most people don’t even know they have hepatitis until it causes liver damage or even cancer years after the initial infection. We can easily avoid these needless tragedies with prevention, surveillance programs, and by educating Americans about this deadly disease. The bill I’m introducing today will help create a national strategy to combat and prevent hepatitis, hopefully ending this silent affliction’s often deadly consequences.”
Viral Hepatitis contributes to the death of 15,000 Americans a year and threatens the health of 5.3 million more. It is more common than HIV/AIDS and is the leading cause of liver cancer. Most people don’t know they have hepatitis until it causes cancer or liver disease years after infection. This is largely because there is currently no federal funding of core public health services for viral hepatitis. Nor is there any federally funded chronic Hepatitis B and C surveillance system.
The Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act aims to correct this by authorizing nearly $600 million over the next five years to fund a national strategy to prevent and control viral hepatitis. It directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop a national plan for the prevention, control and medical management of viral hepatitis in coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes for Health (NIH), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
The legislation requires the development of a national plan that must include the following components:
• education and awareness programs;
• an expansion of current vaccination programs;
• counseling regarding the ongoing risk factors associated with viral hepatitis;
• support for medical evaluation and ongoing medical management;
• increased support for adult viral hepatitis coordinators; and
• the establishment of an epidemiological surveillance program to identify trends in incidence and prevalence in the disease.
The Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act of 2010 also enhances SAMHSA’s role in hepatitis activities by providing the agency with the authority to develop educational materials and intervention strategies to reduce the risks of hepatitis among substance abusers and individuals with mental illness.
Source
CONTACT: DC Press Office, (202) 224-4159
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), today introduced the Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act of 2010, which calls for a national strategy to prevent and control Hepatitis B and C. Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA) is the legislation’s lead sponsor in the House of Representatives. The bill has been endorsed by over 100 hepatitis focused organizations from across the nation.
“Viral hepatitis is a silent killer,” Senator Kerry said. “Most people don’t even know they have hepatitis until it causes liver damage or even cancer years after the initial infection. We can easily avoid these needless tragedies with prevention, surveillance programs, and by educating Americans about this deadly disease. The bill I’m introducing today will help create a national strategy to combat and prevent hepatitis, hopefully ending this silent affliction’s often deadly consequences.”
Viral Hepatitis contributes to the death of 15,000 Americans a year and threatens the health of 5.3 million more. It is more common than HIV/AIDS and is the leading cause of liver cancer. Most people don’t know they have hepatitis until it causes cancer or liver disease years after infection. This is largely because there is currently no federal funding of core public health services for viral hepatitis. Nor is there any federally funded chronic Hepatitis B and C surveillance system.
The Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act aims to correct this by authorizing nearly $600 million over the next five years to fund a national strategy to prevent and control viral hepatitis. It directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop a national plan for the prevention, control and medical management of viral hepatitis in coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes for Health (NIH), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
The legislation requires the development of a national plan that must include the following components:
• education and awareness programs;
• an expansion of current vaccination programs;
• counseling regarding the ongoing risk factors associated with viral hepatitis;
• support for medical evaluation and ongoing medical management;
• increased support for adult viral hepatitis coordinators; and
• the establishment of an epidemiological surveillance program to identify trends in incidence and prevalence in the disease.
The Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act of 2010 also enhances SAMHSA’s role in hepatitis activities by providing the agency with the authority to develop educational materials and intervention strategies to reduce the risks of hepatitis among substance abusers and individuals with mental illness.
Source
July 14, 2010
Viral hepatitis is a silent killer that must be stopped
By Rep. Michael Honda (D-Calif.) - 07/13/10 06:24 PM ET
There is a silent crisis affecting America. This crisis endangers 5.3 million people in the U.S. and is more common than HIV/AIDS, yet it remains unrecognized as a serious public health threat. The crisis: viral hepatitis. Most people who have it are unaware, that is until they develop cancer or liver disease years later. Given this national tragedy in the making, we must educate people on the pervasiveness of Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C, identify effective measures on viral hepatitis prevention, control and surveillance programs, and provide a mechanism to implement these measures.
It is not a misnomer to call this a silent crisis. Few people realize how highly infectious viral hepatitis is. Hepatitis B is 100 times more infectious than HIV. Few realize that, left untreated, it can cause liver disease, liver cancer and premature death decades after infection. Few realize that about 2 billion people worldwide have been infected with Hepatitis B; more than 170 million people are chronically infected with Hepatitis C. Tragically, two-thirds of those infected, on average, are unaware of their status, which increases the chance of spreading the disease.
We cannot afford to be silent anymore. Our countrymen and women are dying daily, needlessly, from a disease that is entirely preventable if detected early. Each year, about 15,000 people die from liver cancer or liver diseases related to Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. That’s more than 40 Americans dying every day, with no state or district in our nation exempt from its deadly reach.
Beyond the tragic and preventable loss of human life, the costs to our country are explicitly economic as well. Without effective prevention and vaccination methods in place, chronic Hepatitis B and C are expected to cost our country at least $20 billion in treatments during the next 10 years. As a result, over the same time frame, commercial and Medicare costs will more than double. Projecting further out, over the next 20 years, total medical costs for patients with Hepatitis C infection are expected to increase more than 2.5 times from $30 billion to more than $85 billion.
Contrast the costs for early detection and intervention with the costs for treatment post-infection. Hepatitis B vaccinations are $60, whereas treatment can cost up to $16,000 per year. Screening for Hepatitis C is $8 compared to treatment that can cost up to $25,000 per year. Untreated, these infections will develop into liver disease that can cost up to $110,000 per hospital admission.
We must, therefore, change the way hepatitis is diagnosed and treated. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) report on “Hepatitis and Liver Cancer” corroborates this conclusion by calling for a national strategy in the prevention and control of Hepatitis B and C. The report concludes that the current approach to the prevention and control of chronic Hepatitis B and 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.
My call for a national strategy is not unlike IOM’s. With bipartisan support, I introduced the Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act, H.R. 3974, which provides almost $600 million over the next five years to treat hepatitis. The legislation mirrors many of the IOM’s recommendations and focuses federal efforts on a strategy that saves lives and makes our health system more efficient.
Specifically, H.R. 3974 increases interagency coordination between the Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Health, National Cancer Institute, the Health Resource and Service Administration Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and Veteran Affairs. It does so by implementing programs to increase awareness and enhance knowledge and understanding of Hepatitis B and C and requiring the CDC to integrate into existing programs immunization, prevention, and control programs and support counseling. The legislation expands current vaccination programs and establishes a national chronic and acute Hepatitis B and C surveillance program to identify incidence and prevalence in viral hepatitis and liver cancer.
Pass this bill and we bring together the common concerns of the diverse viral hepatitis community to fight chronic viral hepatitis by establishing, promoting and supporting a comprehensive prevention, research and medical management referral program. And we strengthen the ability of the CDC to support state health departments in the prevention, immunization and surveillance efforts.
Through this legislation, and with strategic investments in public health and prevention programs, billions of dollars can be saved, and so, too, the lives of tens of thousands of people in states and cities all over America. I urge all of you to join me in supporting activities that promote early detection and education. With your help, we can sound the alarm on this silent crisis.
Rep. Honda is the Chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.
Source
Also See:
June 26, 2010
House of Representatives Holds Hearing on the "Secret Epidemic" of Viral Hepatitis
SUMMARY: One June 17 the U.S. House of Representative Oversight and Government Reform Committee held a hearing on viral hepatitis, a largely "silent epidemic" that has begun to receive more attention in the wake of the Institute of Medicine's report on liver cancer and hepatitis B and C. Assistant Secretary for Health Howard Koh and John Ward, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Viral Hepatitis Program, participated in the meeting. The committee urged Congress to pass legislation introduced by Rep. Mike Honda and a bipartisan coalition of co-sponsors (H.R. 3974) that will increase funding for hepatitis B and C education, testing, and treatment.
Below is the text of a posting from the American Associations for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) public policy web site describing the meeting.
Viral Hepatitis: The Secret Epidemic
Hearing by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, United States House of Representatives, June 17, 2010
In response to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report last January -- Hepatitis and Liver Cancer: A National Strategy for Prevention and Control of Hepatitis B and C -- and AASLD's collaboration with the Trust for America's Health to bring attention to the burden of liver disease created by viral hepatitis, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee held a hearing on Thursday, June 17th entitled Viral Hepatitis: The Secret Epidemic. During the hearing, the Committee urged Congress to pass legislation to boost the diagnosis and treatment of viral hepatitis. Witnesses included Representatives Hank Johnson, Bill Cassidy and Mike Honda as well as Dr. Howard Koh, Assistant Secretary for Health at the Department of Health and Human Services, Mr. Randy Mayer, Chief of the Bureau of HIV, STD and Hepatitis at the Iowa Department of Public Health, Mr. Michael Ninburg, Executive Director of the Hepatitis Education Project, Dr. Jeffrey Levi, TFAH, and Mr. Rolf Benirschke, Spokesperson for Hepatitis C Awareness.
Representative Cassidy did an excellent job articulating the impact of viral hepatitis should it go unchecked. He raised the point that it costs $50 to vaccinate a child against HBV, but costs over $1 million to treat a HBV patient over their lifetime should they receive a liver transplant. He cited the effectiveness of the vaccines for children program authorized by Congress during the Clinton administration and urged Congress to act again to fight viral hepatitis. He stressed that the most important thing that can be done is to educate providers, patients, and their families. In his testimony, Representative Honda advocated for the support and passage of his bill, HR 3974.
Assistant Secretary Koh -- accompanied by Dr. John Ward -- said that the interagency report would be completed this fall. He cited the need for more research for a HCV vaccine, to improve awareness of infection, reduce the spread of hepatitis in health care settings, and raise awareness within and testing of high risk populations. When asked by Chairman Towns (D-NY) whether hepatitis could be eliminated, Koh responded that it could be with the right resources. Koh also touched on screening guidelines and cited the US Preventive Services Taskforce (USPSTF) as just one of the groups that releases screening guidelines. Representative Bilbray (R-CA) asked about the target population for screening, saying he believes that the population should be viewed multi-dimensionally. Koh and Ward responded that risk based screening models have created barriers to screening and given the segment of the population most likely to be developing symptoms, an age based strategy could be more effective.
While both Democrats and Republicans on the committee agreed that something must be done to prevent the spread of viral hepatitis, the main obstacle remains funding for the needed programs.
6/25/10
Sources
AASLD. Viral Hepatitis: The Secret Epidemic. Public Policy web site (undated).
M Honda. It's Time to Get Serious About Viral Hepatitis. Roll Call. June 22, 2010
http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/hep_c/news/2010/0625_2010_a.html
Below is the text of a posting from the American Associations for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) public policy web site describing the meeting.
Viral Hepatitis: The Secret Epidemic
Hearing by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, United States House of Representatives, June 17, 2010
In response to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report last January -- Hepatitis and Liver Cancer: A National Strategy for Prevention and Control of Hepatitis B and C -- and AASLD's collaboration with the Trust for America's Health to bring attention to the burden of liver disease created by viral hepatitis, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee held a hearing on Thursday, June 17th entitled Viral Hepatitis: The Secret Epidemic. During the hearing, the Committee urged Congress to pass legislation to boost the diagnosis and treatment of viral hepatitis. Witnesses included Representatives Hank Johnson, Bill Cassidy and Mike Honda as well as Dr. Howard Koh, Assistant Secretary for Health at the Department of Health and Human Services, Mr. Randy Mayer, Chief of the Bureau of HIV, STD and Hepatitis at the Iowa Department of Public Health, Mr. Michael Ninburg, Executive Director of the Hepatitis Education Project, Dr. Jeffrey Levi, TFAH, and Mr. Rolf Benirschke, Spokesperson for Hepatitis C Awareness.
Representative Cassidy did an excellent job articulating the impact of viral hepatitis should it go unchecked. He raised the point that it costs $50 to vaccinate a child against HBV, but costs over $1 million to treat a HBV patient over their lifetime should they receive a liver transplant. He cited the effectiveness of the vaccines for children program authorized by Congress during the Clinton administration and urged Congress to act again to fight viral hepatitis. He stressed that the most important thing that can be done is to educate providers, patients, and their families. In his testimony, Representative Honda advocated for the support and passage of his bill, HR 3974.
Assistant Secretary Koh -- accompanied by Dr. John Ward -- said that the interagency report would be completed this fall. He cited the need for more research for a HCV vaccine, to improve awareness of infection, reduce the spread of hepatitis in health care settings, and raise awareness within and testing of high risk populations. When asked by Chairman Towns (D-NY) whether hepatitis could be eliminated, Koh responded that it could be with the right resources. Koh also touched on screening guidelines and cited the US Preventive Services Taskforce (USPSTF) as just one of the groups that releases screening guidelines. Representative Bilbray (R-CA) asked about the target population for screening, saying he believes that the population should be viewed multi-dimensionally. Koh and Ward responded that risk based screening models have created barriers to screening and given the segment of the population most likely to be developing symptoms, an age based strategy could be more effective.
While both Democrats and Republicans on the committee agreed that something must be done to prevent the spread of viral hepatitis, the main obstacle remains funding for the needed programs.
6/25/10
Sources
AASLD. Viral Hepatitis: The Secret Epidemic. Public Policy web site (undated).
M Honda. It's Time to Get Serious About Viral Hepatitis. Roll Call. June 22, 2010
http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/hep_c/news/2010/0625_2010_a.html
June 19, 2010
At Cao's Request, House Committee Holds Hearing on Viral Hepatitis, "the Secret Epidemic"
At the request of Congressman Anh "Joseph" Cao (LA-02), the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a hearing today on "Viral Hepatitis: the Secret Epidemic"
Publish Date: 2010-06-19
Click here to view related Website: U.S. Congressman Joseph Cao
(From PoliticalNews.me)
WASHINGTON - At the request of Congressman Anh "Joseph" Cao (LA-02), the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a hearing today on "Viral Hepatitis: the Secret Epidemic."
Public health records show viral hepatitis, which is transmitted mainly through contact with infected blood, is the most common blood borne infection in the United States, and it is the nation's leading cause of liver cancer and liver transplants, representing one of the largest and costliest disease burdens. Over the next decade, about 150,000 Americans will die from liver cancer and end-stage liver disease associated with chronic hepatitis B and C.
In prepared remarks submitted for the record, Cao pointed out that between 3.5 to 5.3 million Americans--about 1% to 2% of the population--are infected with viral hepatitis. In Louisiana, some 80,000 people--about 1.8 percent of the population--have hepatitis C. Approximately 20,000 people have hepatitis B and 4.6% of adults are considered at risk.
In New Orleans and Jefferson Parish, about half of hepatitis B patients are Asian Americans in contrast to only 5% of the overall population. Among African Americans, rates of hepatitis C are twice the national average.
Cao said, "This is a grave public health crisis and human tragedy, especially given the asymptomatic nature of the disease, as 65% to 75% of individuals living with viral hepatitis are unaware they are infected until they develop symptoms of liver disease and cancer years later." Cao pointed out that only about half of the cases of hepatitis C in Louisiana are detected for inclusion on the state's hepatitis register.
Witnesses testifying at today's hearing included Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04), himself a hepatitis C patient, and Congressman Bill Cassidy (LA-06), a leading Louisiana hepatologist.
The committee considered, among other things, a recent Institute of Medicine (IOM) study that found the government has failed to raise awareness, dedicate appropriate resources and properly identify, screen, treat and prevent viral hepatitis.
For example, the administrative budget for the Division of Viral Hepatitis of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention represents only 2% of the agency's entire budget. Despite projected costs of $16 billion a year nationally, the federal government gives states an average of only $90,000 a year for hepatitis prevention in adults. This provides for little more than one staff position's salary and does not fund any actual services.
The report concluded that the federal government's "current approach to the prevention and control of chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C is not working." The IOM attributed the lack of knowledge and awareness among the American public and health providers, the large health disparities, and the high mortality rates to the lack of dedicated resources and national leadership.
Cao said, "By calling attention to viral hepatitis at the Congressional level, we hope to focus attention on this 'secret epidemic' and channel resources toward its prevention, more effective treatmen and cure."
http://bignews.biz/?id=886175&keys=Congressman-Joseph-Cao-HepatitisB
Publish Date: 2010-06-19
Click here to view related Website: U.S. Congressman Joseph Cao
(From PoliticalNews.me)
WASHINGTON - At the request of Congressman Anh "Joseph" Cao (LA-02), the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a hearing today on "Viral Hepatitis: the Secret Epidemic."
Public health records show viral hepatitis, which is transmitted mainly through contact with infected blood, is the most common blood borne infection in the United States, and it is the nation's leading cause of liver cancer and liver transplants, representing one of the largest and costliest disease burdens. Over the next decade, about 150,000 Americans will die from liver cancer and end-stage liver disease associated with chronic hepatitis B and C.
In prepared remarks submitted for the record, Cao pointed out that between 3.5 to 5.3 million Americans--about 1% to 2% of the population--are infected with viral hepatitis. In Louisiana, some 80,000 people--about 1.8 percent of the population--have hepatitis C. Approximately 20,000 people have hepatitis B and 4.6% of adults are considered at risk.
In New Orleans and Jefferson Parish, about half of hepatitis B patients are Asian Americans in contrast to only 5% of the overall population. Among African Americans, rates of hepatitis C are twice the national average.
Cao said, "This is a grave public health crisis and human tragedy, especially given the asymptomatic nature of the disease, as 65% to 75% of individuals living with viral hepatitis are unaware they are infected until they develop symptoms of liver disease and cancer years later." Cao pointed out that only about half of the cases of hepatitis C in Louisiana are detected for inclusion on the state's hepatitis register.
Witnesses testifying at today's hearing included Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04), himself a hepatitis C patient, and Congressman Bill Cassidy (LA-06), a leading Louisiana hepatologist.
The committee considered, among other things, a recent Institute of Medicine (IOM) study that found the government has failed to raise awareness, dedicate appropriate resources and properly identify, screen, treat and prevent viral hepatitis.
For example, the administrative budget for the Division of Viral Hepatitis of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention represents only 2% of the agency's entire budget. Despite projected costs of $16 billion a year nationally, the federal government gives states an average of only $90,000 a year for hepatitis prevention in adults. This provides for little more than one staff position's salary and does not fund any actual services.
The report concluded that the federal government's "current approach to the prevention and control of chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C is not working." The IOM attributed the lack of knowledge and awareness among the American public and health providers, the large health disparities, and the high mortality rates to the lack of dedicated resources and national leadership.
Cao said, "By calling attention to viral hepatitis at the Congressional level, we hope to focus attention on this 'secret epidemic' and channel resources toward its prevention, more effective treatmen and cure."
http://bignews.biz/?id=886175&keys=Congressman-Joseph-Cao-HepatitisB
June 18, 2010
Lawmakers urge quick passage of bill to boost detection, treatment of hepatitis
By Julian Pecquet - 06/17/10 03:01 PM ET
Lawmakers on the House Oversight panel on Thursday urged Congress to quickly pass legislation to boost the detection and treatment of viral hepatitis, the leading cause of liver cancer in the United States.
The Oversight and Government Reform Committee held the first hearing in several years on the deadly disease, which disproportionately affects blacks and Asians, and pressed for passage of a bipartisan bill that would boost funding by $600 million over the next five years.
The hearing comes on the heels of an Institute of Medicine (IOM) report that highlighted deficiencies with the federal government's response to the epidemic. The report contains two dozen expert recommendations for improvement, including enhanced screening, physician education and the creation of a coordinated system to identify people who have the disease and refer them to care.
About 5.3 million Americans are believed to have hepatitis — the disease causes 12,000 to 15,000 deaths a year — though many don’t know it.
"The current approach [...] is not working," the IOM report says.
The legislation under consideration, introduced in October by Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.), has 52 bipartisan co-sponsors. The "Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act" is currently in the Energy and Commerce Committee.
The bill would charge the secretary of Health and Human Services with developing and implementing a plan for the prevention, control and medical management of hepatitis B and C; it would also provide federal funding for state-based screening and early intervention programs.
Honda said the bill would eventually save billions of dollars by identifying sick people early. A study by the research firm Milliman found that without federal leadership, the cost of treating hepatitis C alone could more than triple, to $85 billion a year, by 2024.
"We can do a whole lot better than what we're doing," said Oversight panel chairman Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.). "I think it's a disgrace to have a problem of this nature and to not commit resources."
The panel heard testimony from Honda and Reps. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Hank Johnson (D-Ga.). Cassidy is a hepatologist who co-sponsored the bill, and Johnson last year acknowledged he was undergoing treatment for hepatitis C.
Cassidy applauded former President Bill Clinton's children’s vaccination program and said the Honda bill would "similarly save lives." But debate quickly descended into budgetary politics.
Oversight ranking member Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) said Republicans would not vote for any new directed spending unless it's part of the budget bill, which has stalled.
Meanwhile, Democrats bristled at Issa's description of the word "earmark" to describe the bill.
A coalition of more than 175 public and private organizations launched a print ad campaign on Tuesday to coincide with the hearing. The National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable ad is made to look like a movie poster and reads "Mission: Possible."
"If Congress gets on the case now," the ad says, "the leading cause of liver cancer won't stand a chance."
Patient advocates say the Honda bill will help boost funding for hepatitis prevention efforts, which currently only get 2 percent — $19.3 million — of the budget allocated to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention. Advocates hope the Honda bill will eventually allow them to get $150 million a year.
Source:
http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/prescription-drug-policy/103923-lawmakers-urge-quick-passage-of-bill-to-boost-detection-treatment-of-hepatitis
Lawmakers on the House Oversight panel on Thursday urged Congress to quickly pass legislation to boost the detection and treatment of viral hepatitis, the leading cause of liver cancer in the United States.
The Oversight and Government Reform Committee held the first hearing in several years on the deadly disease, which disproportionately affects blacks and Asians, and pressed for passage of a bipartisan bill that would boost funding by $600 million over the next five years.
The hearing comes on the heels of an Institute of Medicine (IOM) report that highlighted deficiencies with the federal government's response to the epidemic. The report contains two dozen expert recommendations for improvement, including enhanced screening, physician education and the creation of a coordinated system to identify people who have the disease and refer them to care.
About 5.3 million Americans are believed to have hepatitis — the disease causes 12,000 to 15,000 deaths a year — though many don’t know it.
"The current approach [...] is not working," the IOM report says.
The legislation under consideration, introduced in October by Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.), has 52 bipartisan co-sponsors. The "Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act" is currently in the Energy and Commerce Committee.
The bill would charge the secretary of Health and Human Services with developing and implementing a plan for the prevention, control and medical management of hepatitis B and C; it would also provide federal funding for state-based screening and early intervention programs.
Honda said the bill would eventually save billions of dollars by identifying sick people early. A study by the research firm Milliman found that without federal leadership, the cost of treating hepatitis C alone could more than triple, to $85 billion a year, by 2024.
"We can do a whole lot better than what we're doing," said Oversight panel chairman Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.). "I think it's a disgrace to have a problem of this nature and to not commit resources."
The panel heard testimony from Honda and Reps. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Hank Johnson (D-Ga.). Cassidy is a hepatologist who co-sponsored the bill, and Johnson last year acknowledged he was undergoing treatment for hepatitis C.
Cassidy applauded former President Bill Clinton's children’s vaccination program and said the Honda bill would "similarly save lives." But debate quickly descended into budgetary politics.
Oversight ranking member Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) said Republicans would not vote for any new directed spending unless it's part of the budget bill, which has stalled.
Meanwhile, Democrats bristled at Issa's description of the word "earmark" to describe the bill.
A coalition of more than 175 public and private organizations launched a print ad campaign on Tuesday to coincide with the hearing. The National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable ad is made to look like a movie poster and reads "Mission: Possible."
"If Congress gets on the case now," the ad says, "the leading cause of liver cancer won't stand a chance."
Patient advocates say the Honda bill will help boost funding for hepatitis prevention efforts, which currently only get 2 percent — $19.3 million — of the budget allocated to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention. Advocates hope the Honda bill will eventually allow them to get $150 million a year.
Source:
http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/prescription-drug-policy/103923-lawmakers-urge-quick-passage-of-bill-to-boost-detection-treatment-of-hepatitis
June 17, 2010
We will not be silent on viral hepatitis
By Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.) - 06/18/10 09:05 AM ET
At a Government and Oversight Reform Committee hearing this week, I testified to the devastating and deadly impacts of an unsuspecting disease: Viral Hepatitis. The fact that I was joined by Dr. Howard Koh, Assistant Secretary for Health, and Dr. John Ward, Director of the Viral Hepatitis Program at the Center for Disease Control, underscores the importance of the issue. Government oversight is a good start to getting the American public more informed, but much more is needed, according to the Institute of Medicine's 2010 report titled "Hepatitis and Liver Cancer: A National Strategy for Prevention and Control of Hepatitis B and C".
Few realize how highly infectious viral hepatitis is. Hepatitis B is 100 times more infectious than HIV. Few realize that, left untreated, it can cause liver disease, liver cancer, and premature death decades after infection. Few realize that roughly 2 billion people worldwide have been infected with Hepatitis B; over 170 million people are chronically infected with Hepatitis C; and in this nation alone, an estimated 5.3 million people are infected with either Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C. Tragically, an average of two-thirds of those infected are unaware of their status.
It is no surprise, then, that some are calling this a silent crisis. However, we cannot afford to be silent anymore. In fact, we will not be silent any more. Why? Because our countrymen and women are dying daily, needlessly, from a disease that is entirely preventable if detected early. Each year, approximately 15,000 people die from liver cancer or liver diseases related to Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. That's over 40 Americans dying every day, with no state or district in our nation exempt from its deadly reach.
Beyond the tragic and preventable loss of human life and its subsequent hit to our country's productivity, the costs to our country our explicitly economic as well. Without effective prevention and vaccination methods in place, chronic Hepatitis B and C is expected to cost our country at least $20 billion, in treatments alone, over the next 10 years. As a result, over the same time frame, commercial and Medicare costs will more than double. Projecting further out, over the next 20 years, total medical costs for patients with Hepatitis C infection are expected to increase more than 2.5 times from $30 billion to over $85 billion.
We must, therefore, change the way Hepatitis is diagnosed and treated. With the help of Chairman Towns and Reps Cassidy, Johnson, and Dent, I introduced the Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act, H.R. 3974, which provides nearly $600 million over the next five years to treat hepatitis. Our legislation focuses federal efforts on a strategy that saves lives and makes our health system more efficient. We bring together the common concerns of the diverse viral hepatitis community to fight chronic viral hepatitis by establishing, promoting, and supporting a comprehensive prevention, research and medical management referral program. And we strengthen the ability of the Center for Disease Control to support state health departments in the prevention, immunization and surveillance efforts.
Through this legislation, and with strategic investments in public health and prevention program, billions of dollars can be saved, so too the lives of tens of thousands of people in states and cities all over American. I urge all of you to join me in supporting activities that promote early detection and education. With your help, we can sound the alarm on this silent crisis.
Source:
http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/healthcare/104081-we-will-not-be-silent-on-viral-hepatitis-rep-mike-honda
At a Government and Oversight Reform Committee hearing this week, I testified to the devastating and deadly impacts of an unsuspecting disease: Viral Hepatitis. The fact that I was joined by Dr. Howard Koh, Assistant Secretary for Health, and Dr. John Ward, Director of the Viral Hepatitis Program at the Center for Disease Control, underscores the importance of the issue. Government oversight is a good start to getting the American public more informed, but much more is needed, according to the Institute of Medicine's 2010 report titled "Hepatitis and Liver Cancer: A National Strategy for Prevention and Control of Hepatitis B and C".
Few realize how highly infectious viral hepatitis is. Hepatitis B is 100 times more infectious than HIV. Few realize that, left untreated, it can cause liver disease, liver cancer, and premature death decades after infection. Few realize that roughly 2 billion people worldwide have been infected with Hepatitis B; over 170 million people are chronically infected with Hepatitis C; and in this nation alone, an estimated 5.3 million people are infected with either Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C. Tragically, an average of two-thirds of those infected are unaware of their status.
It is no surprise, then, that some are calling this a silent crisis. However, we cannot afford to be silent anymore. In fact, we will not be silent any more. Why? Because our countrymen and women are dying daily, needlessly, from a disease that is entirely preventable if detected early. Each year, approximately 15,000 people die from liver cancer or liver diseases related to Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. That's over 40 Americans dying every day, with no state or district in our nation exempt from its deadly reach.
Beyond the tragic and preventable loss of human life and its subsequent hit to our country's productivity, the costs to our country our explicitly economic as well. Without effective prevention and vaccination methods in place, chronic Hepatitis B and C is expected to cost our country at least $20 billion, in treatments alone, over the next 10 years. As a result, over the same time frame, commercial and Medicare costs will more than double. Projecting further out, over the next 20 years, total medical costs for patients with Hepatitis C infection are expected to increase more than 2.5 times from $30 billion to over $85 billion.
We must, therefore, change the way Hepatitis is diagnosed and treated. With the help of Chairman Towns and Reps Cassidy, Johnson, and Dent, I introduced the Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act, H.R. 3974, which provides nearly $600 million over the next five years to treat hepatitis. Our legislation focuses federal efforts on a strategy that saves lives and makes our health system more efficient. We bring together the common concerns of the diverse viral hepatitis community to fight chronic viral hepatitis by establishing, promoting, and supporting a comprehensive prevention, research and medical management referral program. And we strengthen the ability of the Center for Disease Control to support state health departments in the prevention, immunization and surveillance efforts.
Through this legislation, and with strategic investments in public health and prevention program, billions of dollars can be saved, so too the lives of tens of thousands of people in states and cities all over American. I urge all of you to join me in supporting activities that promote early detection and education. With your help, we can sound the alarm on this silent crisis.
Source:
http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/healthcare/104081-we-will-not-be-silent-on-viral-hepatitis-rep-mike-honda
NVHR Launches Targeted Print Advertising Campaign Urging Swift Congressional Action on Secret Epidem
As Congress prepares to shine a spotlight this week on chronic viral hepatitis, the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR) today launched a new targeted print advertising campaign to urge swift action on bipartisan legislation providing federal funding for state-based screening and early intervention programs. NVHR's new advertising initiative comes in advance of a hearing Thursday, June 17, before the full House Oversight & Government Reform Committee, chaired by Chairman Ed Towns (D-NY) and Ranking Member Darrell Issa (R-Calif.). The Committee has invited testimony from a diverse panel of witnesses who will offer strategies for implementing expert recommendations made earlier this year by the Institute of Medicine (IOM).
NVHR is a coalition of more than 175 public, private, and voluntary organizations dedicated to reducing the incidence of infection, morbidity, and mortality from chronic viral hepatitis that afflicts more than 5 million Americans. http://www.nvhr.org/
"NVHR's new advertising initiative is a timely reminder to Congress, the Administration, and all stakeholders that federal action is desperately needed this year to help combat this insidious disease that affects over 5 million Americans and their loved ones," said Ms. Lorren Sandt, Chair of the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR) and Executive Director of Caring Ambassadors Program, based in Portland, OR. "Six months ago, the Institute of Medicine issued nearly two-dozen expert recommendations for improving the federal government's response to the viral hepatitis epidemic. The pressing challenge now before Congress and the Administration is to provide federal funding to translate the IOM report into swift and decisive action."
Under the banner of "Mission: Possible," NVHR's new advertisement highlights the IOM report and urges action on HR 3974. The advertisement also features the tagline "If Congress gets on the case now, the leading cause of liver cancer won't stand a chance."
Thursday's hearing before the House Oversight & Government Reform Committee is an important step forward in this fight. An estimated 5.3 million Americans have been infected with chronic viral hepatitis B or C - and with most unaware of their infection, millions are at risk of developing life-threatening complications, especially African Americans and Asian Americans. Without detection and treatment, chronic viral hepatitis leads to liver cancer, cirrhosis, or liver failure. In the absence of federal leadership, the research firm Milliman estimates that public and private payers' cost of treating chronic viral hepatitis C alone will more than triple by 2024 to $85 billion annually. Medicare and Medicaid would absorb a disproportionate share of these added costs.
HR 3974, "The Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act," is sponsored by Representatives Mike Honda (D-Calif.), Charles Dent (R-Pa.) and 49 other House Members and would help turn the tide. The Honda-Dent legislation would increase the ability of the CDC to support state health departments in their prevention, immunization and surveillance, and referral to care efforts. Much of the Honda-Dent legislation tracks with the IOM's recommendations.
Source: National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable
Source
NVHR is a coalition of more than 175 public, private, and voluntary organizations dedicated to reducing the incidence of infection, morbidity, and mortality from chronic viral hepatitis that afflicts more than 5 million Americans. http://www.nvhr.org/
"NVHR's new advertising initiative is a timely reminder to Congress, the Administration, and all stakeholders that federal action is desperately needed this year to help combat this insidious disease that affects over 5 million Americans and their loved ones," said Ms. Lorren Sandt, Chair of the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR) and Executive Director of Caring Ambassadors Program, based in Portland, OR. "Six months ago, the Institute of Medicine issued nearly two-dozen expert recommendations for improving the federal government's response to the viral hepatitis epidemic. The pressing challenge now before Congress and the Administration is to provide federal funding to translate the IOM report into swift and decisive action."
Under the banner of "Mission: Possible," NVHR's new advertisement highlights the IOM report and urges action on HR 3974. The advertisement also features the tagline "If Congress gets on the case now, the leading cause of liver cancer won't stand a chance."
Thursday's hearing before the House Oversight & Government Reform Committee is an important step forward in this fight. An estimated 5.3 million Americans have been infected with chronic viral hepatitis B or C - and with most unaware of their infection, millions are at risk of developing life-threatening complications, especially African Americans and Asian Americans. Without detection and treatment, chronic viral hepatitis leads to liver cancer, cirrhosis, or liver failure. In the absence of federal leadership, the research firm Milliman estimates that public and private payers' cost of treating chronic viral hepatitis C alone will more than triple by 2024 to $85 billion annually. Medicare and Medicaid would absorb a disproportionate share of these added costs.
HR 3974, "The Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act," is sponsored by Representatives Mike Honda (D-Calif.), Charles Dent (R-Pa.) and 49 other House Members and would help turn the tide. The Honda-Dent legislation would increase the ability of the CDC to support state health departments in their prevention, immunization and surveillance, and referral to care efforts. Much of the Honda-Dent legislation tracks with the IOM's recommendations.
Source: National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable
Source
June 16, 2010
Congress to Hold Hepatitis Hearing this Thursday
Action Alert
(posted June 16, 2010)
Hepatitis C Advocates UNITED! Action Alert
Congress to Hold Hepatitis Hearing this Thursday
Urge Your Representative to Lead the Fight Against the “Secret Epidemic”
Background
On Thursday, June 17, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform will hold a hearing entitled “Viral Hepatitis: The Secret Epidemic.” This hearing, under the leadership of Chairman Edolphus Towns, will examine issues surrounding the prevention, detection, management and control of viral hepatitis.
This hearing provides an excellent opportunity to educate Members of Congress about the hepatitis B and C epidemics and the recommendations made earlier this year on how the federal government must improve its response in the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, Hepatitis and Liver Cancer: A National Strategy for Prevention and Control of Hepatitis B and C. The hearing also follows a major World Hepatitis Day rally at the U.S. Capitol nearly a month ago. There is growing momentum to demand that Congress fully fund hepatitis programs and take leadership on an issue that impacts millions of Americans.
Please take a few minutes to urge your House Representative to learn about the issues raised in this hearing and to fight for more viral hepatitis leadership!
Action
It is urgent that your calls be made immediately. Please call your Representative’s Washington, DC office. Ask to speak to the staff person who handles health issues. You can call your Representative at 202.225.3121. You will get the Capitol switchboard. Ask to be connected to your Representative’s office. If you don’t know who your Representative is, you can go online to http://www.house.gov/ to determine your Member of Congress. Whether you speak to this person directly or leave a message, tell them:
“My name is ___________ and I am a constituent of Representative ___________. I am calling to let you know about an important hearing this week on Thursday, June 17 at 10:00 AM held by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform entitled “Viral Hepatitis: The Secret Epidemic.” This hearing will focus on the federal government’s response to viral hepatitis; an epidemic that affects over 5 million Americans, most of whom do not know they are infected because they have no symptoms. Viral hepatitis such as hepatitis B and C are the leading causes of liver cancer and cause 15,000 premature deaths each year.
I urge Representative ___________ to support this hearing and to do everything he/she can to fight this silent epidemic, including fighting for increased funding for viral hepatitis programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, supporting in any way possible new health reform monies to hepatitis services and co-sponsoring the Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act (H.R. 3974). This is important to me because _________________.”
It is especially important to encourage your Representative attend the hearing if he or she is on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform (see membership list below). Urge him/her to attend this important hearing to show leadership!
Committee Members:
Democrats:
Chairman Edolphus Towns (NY)
Paul Kanjorski (PA)
Carolyn Maloney (NY)
Elijah Cummings (MD)
Dennis Kucinich (OH)
John Tierney (MA)
William Lacy Clay (MO)
Diane Watson (CA)
Stephen Lynch (MA)
Jim Cooper (TN)
Gerald Connolly (VA)
Mike Quigley (IL)
Marcy Kaptur (OH)
Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC)
Patrick Kennedy (RI)
Danny Davis (IL)
Chris Van Hollen (MD)
Henry Cuellar (TX)
Paul Hodes (NH)
Christopher Murphy (CT)
Peter Welch (VT)
Bill Foster (IL)
Jackie Speier (CA)
Steve Driehaus (OH)
Judy Chu (CA)
Republicans:
Ranking Member Darrell Issa (CA)
Dan Burton (IN)
John Mica (FL)
John Duncan, Jr. (TN)
Michael Turner (OH)
Lynn Westmoreland (GA)
Patrick McHenry (NC)
Brian Bilbray (CA)
Jim Jordan (OH)
Jeff Flake (AZ)
Jeff Fortenberry (NE)
Jason Chaffetz (UT)
Aaron Schock (IL)
Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO)
Anh “Joseph” Cao (LA)
Hepatitis C Advocates UNITED! is a national, grassroots network of individuals and organizations fighting for increased funding for hepatitis programs and legislation to mount a comprehensive federal effort to fight the disease. We design grassroots strategies to educate our elected representatives about the need for adequate HCV funding and policies, including action alerts, sign-on letters legislative meetings, media activities, and other campaigns. We also share information and strategies on state-level issues and campaigns. Hepatitis C Advocates UNITED! was formed by the Hepatitis Appropriations Partnership (HAP) and the National Hepatitis C Advocacy Council (NHCAC), and the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR). To join the network, send an email to rclary@projectinform.org with “subscribe” in the subject field. Please include your name and city/state in the email.
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