| 1 | House Resolution |
| 2 | A resolution recognizing May 2008 as "Hepatitis Awareness |
| 3 | Month" in Florida. |
| 4 |
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| 5 | WHEREAS, since 2001, World Hepatitis Awareness Month has |
| 6 | grown to a truly international movement, and |
| 7 | WHEREAS, World Hepatitis Awareness Month in May 2008 is an |
| 8 | opportunity for the global hepatitis community to increase |
| 9 | awareness of viral hepatitis and its risk factors and symptoms, |
| 10 | and |
| 11 | WHEREAS, often described as "silent killers," both |
| 12 | hepatitis B and hepatitis C can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer, |
| 13 | and, ultimately, liver failure and death; however, in many |
| 14 | cases, hepatitis can be cured or managed using currently |
| 15 | available treatments, and |
| 16 | WHEREAS, around the world, an estimated 350-400 million |
| 17 | people are living with hepatitis B, and more than 180 million |
| 18 | people are infected with hepatitis C, and |
| 19 | WHEREAS, in the United States, it is estimated that as many |
| 20 | as 2 million people are infected with hepatitis B and as many as |
| 21 | 5 million people are infected with hepatitis C, and |
| 22 | WHEREAS, an estimated 75,000 Floridians are infected with |
| 23 | hepatitis B and an estimated 300,000 Floridians are infected |
| 24 | with hepatitis C, and |
| 25 | WHEREAS, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and |
| 26 | Prevention have identified African-Americans, Asian-Americans, |
| 27 | and Pacific Islanders, as well as Native Americans and Alaskan |
| 28 | Natives, as having higher rates of viral hepatitis, and |
| 29 | WHEREAS, the burden of chronic viral hepatitis in the |
| 30 | United States is greatly underestimated, exemplified by the |
| 31 | approximately 200,000 patients who are diagnosed with hepatitis |
| 32 | B when the total adjusted prevalence is approximately 2 million |
| 33 | people affected, and the approximately 800,000 patients who are |
| 34 | diagnosed with hepatitis C when the total adjusted prevalence is |
| 35 | approximately 5 million people affected, and |
| 36 | WHEREAS, the impact of late diagnosis leads to an |
| 37 | increasing need for liver transplants and an increase in the |
| 38 | number of cases of liver cancer, the fastest growing type of |
| 39 | cancer in the United States while other cancers are declining, |
| 40 | and |
| 41 | WHEREAS, there is a tremendous need for improvements in |
| 42 | early screening, diagnosis and treatment, and effective |
| 43 | interventions, such as testing, diagnosis, immunization, and |
| 44 | counseling, that help to prevent and control viral hepatitis, |
| 45 | protecting personal and community health, and |
| 46 | WHEREAS, the Florida Department of Health has a |
| 47 | comprehensive Hepatitis Prevention Program that includes raising |
| 48 | public awareness of viral hepatitis, providing public and |
| 49 | professional education, tracking the burden of disease and |
| 50 | detects outbreaks, conducting research, and offering free |
| 51 | testing and vaccination for adults at an increased risk for |
| 52 | infection, and |
| 53 | WHEREAS, hepatitis A and hepatitis B are preventable by |
| 54 | vaccination and Florida's Hepatitis Prevention Program provided |
| 55 | over 37,000 hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccines to at-risk |
| 56 | adults in 2007 through county health departments, and |
| 57 | WHEREAS, in 2007, Florida's Hepatitis Prevention Program |
| 58 | tested over 24,000 at-risk adults for viral hepatitis using |
| 59 | state laboratory services and 1,500 at-risk adults using home |
| 60 | test kits, and |
| 61 | WHEREAS, patient groups and governments worldwide |
| 62 | acknowledge the need for greater awareness of viral hepatitis |
| 63 | and work together coordinating events during World Hepatitis |
| 64 | Awareness Month to raise awareness and galvanize action, and |
| 65 | WHEREAS, the House of Representatives supports the goals |
| 66 | and ideals of World Hepatitis Awareness Month, calls upon the |
| 67 | people of Florida to observe the month with appropriate programs |
| 68 | and activities, and supports raising awareness of the |
| 69 | consequences of untreated viral hepatitis and the urgency to |
| 70 | seek appropriate care as a serious public health issue, NOW, |
| 71 | THEREFORE, |
| 72 |
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| 73 | Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of |
| 74 | Florida: |
| 75 |
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| 76 | That May 2008 is recognized as "Hepatitis Awareness Month" |
| 77 | in Florida. |