House Resolution 115 PAG LIN 1 1 HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 1 2 BY HEATON, FOEGE, SMITH, and UPMEYER 1 3 A Resolution to recognize May 2004 as hepatitis C 1 4 awareness and education month and to urge greater 1 5 public awareness and education regarding hepatitis C. 1 6 WHEREAS, hepatitis C is the most common chronic 1 7 bloodborne viral infection in the United States, 1 8 infecting 3.9 million people nationwide and an 1 9 additional 25,000 people each year, and is the leading 1 10 cause of liver disease; and 1 11 WHEREAS, sixty=seven percent of hepatitis C= 1 12 infected persons are chronically infected and 1 13 approximately 8,000 to 10,000 people in the United 1 14 States die each year from conditions caused by 1 15 hepatitis C; and 1 16 WHEREAS, there were 52,943 estimated cases of 1 17 hepatitis C in Iowa according to 2001 census data with 1 18 an additional 3,946 cases identified in Iowa between 1 19 January 1, 2002, and August 31, 2003; and 1 20 WHEREAS, there is no vaccine or cure for hepatitis 1 21 C and therefore emphasis must be placed on prevention 1 22 and public awareness to control the spread of this 1 23 potentially lethal disease; NOW THEREFORE, 1 24 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 1 25 That the members of the House of Representatives 1 26 recognize May 2004 as hepatitis C awareness and 1 27 education month; and 1 28 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Iowa Department of 1 29 Public Health shall provide to the General Assembly 1 30 the findings of the task force for viral hepatitis; 2 1 and 2 2 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That upon adoption, the 2 3 Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives shall send 2 4 a copy of this Resolution to the Iowa Department of 2 5 Public Health. 2 6 LSB 6278HH 80 2 7 kk/sh/8