ACR 175, as amended, Achadjian. Viral Hepatitis Awareness Day.
This measure would proclaim May 19, 2016, as Viral Hepatitis Awareness Day in California.
Fiscal committee: no.
P1 1WHEREAS, Liver cancer and liver disease related to hepatitis
2B and C are two of the leading killers in California; and
3WHEREAS, Hepatitis C is the most prevalent bloodborne
4disease in the United States and in California; and
P2 1WHEREAS, Early detection of hepatitis B and C infections
2promotes effective management or treatment of these infections,
3preventing disability, loss of productivity and income, and allowing
4people to live full, satisfying, and productive lives; and
5WHEREAS, An undetected and untreated hepatitis B or C
6infection can lead to disability or death; and
7WHEREAS, The majority of the estimated 750,000 Californians
8with chronic hepatitis C infection do not know they are infected,
9and are therefore at high risk of severe liver disease, liver cancer,
10or liver failure; and
11WHEREAS, The majority of the estimated 350,000 California
12residents with hepatitis B infection do not know they are infected,
13and are therefore at high risk of severe liver disease, liver cancer,
14or liver failure; and
15WHEREAS, Untreated hepatitis B and C infections are the
16leading causes of liver failure requiring liver transplant; and
17WHEREAS, The federal Centers for Disease Control and
18Prevention released updated guidelines calling for baby boomers
19- everyone born between 1945 and 1965 - to receive a one-time
20hepatitis C test, which would save over 100,000 lives; and
21WHEREAS, In 2013, the United States Preventive Services
22Task Force (USPSTF) issued a Grade B rating for screening for
23hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in persons at high risk for
24infection and adults born between 1945 and 1965; and
25WHEREAS, Baby boomers make up 30 percent of California’s
26adult population, and African American baby boomers are twice
27as likely to have hepatitis C as other baby boomers; and
28WHEREAS, In 2009, the USPSTF issued a Grade A rating for
29screening pregnant women for the hepatitis B virus (HBV)
30infection during their first prenatal visit; and
31WHEREAS, In 2014, the USPSTF issued a Grade B rating for
32screening people born in countries where hepatitis B is common,
33United States-born people who were not vaccinated against
34hepatitis B when they were babies and whose parents come from
35countries where hepatitis B is common, and other people at risk
36for hepatitis B; and
37WHEREAS, There is a vaccine for the prevention of hepatitis
38B - the first proven, low-cost vaccination against any form of
39cancer made available to Americans; and
P3 1WHEREAS, Hepatitis B is most prevalent among people of
2Asian and Pacific Islander descent, and one-third of Americans of
3Asian and Pacific Islander descent live in California; and
4WHEREAS, Hepatitis B-related and hepatitis C-related
5hospitalization charges totaled $2.3 billion in 2010 in California,
6mostly paid for by tax-supported public health insurers; and
7WHEREAS, New medications can cure hepatitis C in over 90
8percent of people who are linked to and retained in care and
9treatment; and
10WHEREAS, Hepatitis B can be treated effectively with proper
11medical management and may be curable in the near future; and
12WHEREAS, The Legislature will continue to work to increase
13the affordability of, and access to, care, treatment, and cures for
14hepatitis; and
15WHEREAS, Hepatitis awareness education campaigns and
16accessible screening for hepatitis B and C, along with appropriate
17treatment, can reduce the damage from hepatitis B and C viral
18infection to individuals and to our community, financially, as well
19as physically and emotionally; now, therefore, be it
20Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
21thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby proclaims May
2219, 2016, as Viral Hepatitis Awareness Day; and be it further
23Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
24of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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