A HOUSE RESOLUTION URGING STATE AND LOCAL AGENCIES TO ADDRESS ISSUES RELATING TO THE hepatitis c VIRUS.
Whereas, Hepatitis C virus infection is the most common chronic blood borne viral infection in the United States; and
Whereas, Hepatitis C virus infection is a life‑threatening disease that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conservatively estimate infects four million persons in the United States; and
Whereas, there were approximately 41,000 newly infected Hepatitis C patients per year as of 1998; and
Whereas, Hepatitis C infections accounted for approximately 25,000 deaths per year in 1998 and is predicted to cause 30,000 annual deaths within 10 years; and
Whereas, Hepatitis C infection is three to four times more prevalent in the United States than HIV/AIDS, and approximately one‑third of all HIV infected persons are co‑infected with HCV; and
Whereas, 85 percent of Hepatitis C virus‑infected persons are chronically infected; and
Whereas, infected individuals serve as a source of transmission to others; and
Whereas, very few of those infected with Hepatitis C virus are aware that they are infected, since symptoms often do not develop until 10 to 20 years after the infection is contracted; and
Whereas, infected individuals who are unaware that they are infected are unlikely to take precautions to prevent the spread or exacerbation of their infection; and
Whereas, no vaccine is available for Hepatitis C virus, but treatments are available to slow the progression of the infection; and
Whereas, between 3.6 and 3.8 million of the four million people who are infected with Hepatitis C are receiving no treatment; and
Whereas, Hepatitis C is now the leading cause of liver disease, placing infected individuals at elevated risk for chronic liver disease, liver cancer, and other Hepatitis C virus‑related disease, such as Type II diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and other life‑threatening conditions that can lead to liver failure; and
Whereas, data suggests that 15 to 20% of people with Hepatitis C will develop cirrhosis of the liver within five years of contracting the virus, and up to 25% may develop cirrhosis in 10 to 20 years; and
Whereas, Hepatitis C is the cause for one-third of liver transplants, which cost approximately $280,000 each; and
Whereas, annually, the costs associated with liver transplants for Hepatitis C are nearly 300 million dollars; and
Whereas, alcohol consumption is an important contributing factor in the progression of chronic liver disease among persons with Hepatitis C virus infections; and
Whereas, conservative estimates now place the cost of lost‑productivity and medical care arising from Hepatitis C virus infection in the United States to be in excess of 600 million dollars annually; and such cost will undoubtedly increase without education and prevention efforts; Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
SECTION 1.  The House of Representatives urges local health departments and other State agencies and institutions to work collaboratively to address the national health crisis associated with Hepatitis C virus through the following measures:
(1)	Recommending implementation of prevention and education activities by State and local public health programs to counsel and screen persons at risk for Hepatitis C virus infection.
(2)	Recommending the monitoring and evaluation of the infection rate of Hepatitis C.
(3)	Recommending that publicly funded programs ensure that Hepatitis C related treatments are made available to persons of all ages.
(4)	Recommending implementation of outreach and community‑based programs to educate health care professionals concerning diagnosis, medical management, and prevention by relying upon information recently released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
SECTION 2.  This resolution is effective upon adoption.