III 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 531 

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Hepatitis Awareness Month 

and World Hepatitis Day. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 14, 2010 

Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself and Mr. BROWN of Ohio) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 

Labor, and Pensions 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Hepatitis 

Awareness Month and World Hepatitis Day. 

Whereas infection with the hepatitis B and C viruses and the 

incidence of liver disease and cancer caused by the hepatitis B and C viruses have become urgent problems of 

global proportions; 

Whereas an estimated 2,000,000,000 people worldwide have 

been infected with the hepatitis B virus, and as many as 

400,000,000 people worldwide live with chronic hepatitis 

B infection; 

Whereas an estimated 600,000 people worldwide die each 

year due to a hepatitis B infection; 

Whereas an estimated 170,000,000 people worldwide live 

with chronic hepatitis C infection, and an estimated 


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•SRES 531 IS 

3,500,000 people are newly infected with hepatitis C each 

year; 

Whereas an estimated 1,700,000 people worldwide die each 

year due to liver failure or primary liver cancer from 

chronic hepatitis C infection; 

Whereas infection with the hepatitis B and C viruses is a 

growing health crisis in the United States, and an estimated 5,300,000 people in the United States are chronically infected with the hepatitis B or C virus; 

Whereas each year in the United States, an estimated 43,000 

people are newly infected with the hepatitis B virus and 

17,000 people are newly infected with the hepatitis C 

virus; 

Whereas approximately 65 percent and 75 percent of the people infected with hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus, respectively, are unaware of the infection; 

Whereas, because of the asymptomatic nature of the hepatitis 

B and C viruses, a person who has become chronically infected with 1 of the viruses may not have symptoms for 

up to 40 years after the initial infection has occurred; 

Whereas many people are unaware that they have been infected with the hepatitis B or C virus until years later, 

when symptoms of liver cancer or liver disease develop; 

Whereas, as a result of late diagnosis, approximately 15,000 

people die each year from liver disease or liver cancer related to chronic viral hepatitis; 

Whereas hepatitis C claims roughly 12,000 lives each year in 

the United States, and the overall rate of hepatitis C-related deaths in the United States is expected to triple by 

2019; 


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•SRES 531 IS 

Whereas, in the United States, African-Americans, Asian 

Americans, Pacific Islanders, Latinos, Native Americans, 

Alaskan Natives, gay and bisexual men, and persons who 

inject drugs have higher rates of chronic viral hepatitis 

infection; 

Whereas 1⁄3 of HIV-positive people in the United States are 

co-infected with the hepatitis C virus, and 1⁄10 of HIVpositive people in the United States are co-infected with 

the hepatitis B virus; 

Whereas, although life expectancies for HIV-positive persons 

have increased with therapy, liver disease, mostly related 

to hepatitis B or C infections, has become the most common non-AIDS-related cause of death among HIV-positive persons; 

Whereas chronic hepatitis B and C infections cost the United 

States $16,000,000,000 each year; 

Whereas, despite the fact that chronic viral hepatitis is the 

most common blood-borne infection in the United States, 

no routine or universal screening is in place for early detection as of the date of the agreement to this resolution; 

Whereas, in 2010, the Institute of Medicine issued a report 

on chronic viral hepatitis, which attributed the lack of 

knowledge and awareness among the public and health 

providers of the United States of chronic viral hepatitis, 

the large health disparities for people infected with 

chronic viral hepatitis, and the current morbidity and 

mortality rate for people infected with chronic viral hepatitis, to the lack of dedicated resources for chronic viral 

hepatitis; 

Whereas the first World Hepatitis Day on May 19, 2008, 

raised awareness about the need for action, compassion, 


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and understanding about chronic viral hepatitis around 

the world; and 

Whereas the goals of World Hepatitis Day and National Hepatitis Awareness Month are— 

(1) to highlight the global nature of the chronic viral 

hepatitis epidemic; 

(2) to recognize the need for a comprehensive public 

education and awareness campaign designed to help infected patients and the physicians of patients to identify 

and manage the secondary consequences of the disease; 

and 

(3) to help increase the length and quality of life for 

individuals diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B or C infections: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) supports the goals and ideals of World Hep3 atitis Day and National Hepatitis Awareness Month; 

4 (2) promotes raising awareness of the risks and 

5 consequences of undiagnosed chronic hepatitis B or 

6 hepatitis C infections; and 

7 (3) urges a robust governmental and public 

8 health response to protect the health of the more 

9 than 5,000,000 people in the United States and 

10 nearly 600,000,000 people worldwide who suffer 

11 from chronic viral hepatitis. 

Æ 


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