IV 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 174
Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding fertility issues facing cancer 
survivors. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 8, 2005
Mrs. MYRICK (for herself, Mrs. CAPPS, Mr. ISRAEL, Ms. PRYCE of Ohio, Ms. 
ESHOO, Ms. DELAURO, Mrs. LOWEY, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. HIGGINS, Mr. 
BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. MARSHALL, and Ms. BALDWIN) submitted the 
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding fertility 
issues facing cancer survivors.
Whereas there are more than 10,000,000 cancer survivors in 
the United States, and approximately 1,000,000 of those 
survivors were diagnosed during their reproductive years; 
Whereas approximately 130,000 people under the age of 45 
are diagnosed with cancer each year; 
Whereas up to 90 percent of patients diagnosed with cancer 
under the age of 45 will undergo potentially sterilizing 
treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation; 
Whereas survivorship rates have dramatically increased so 
that 71 percent of patients who are diagnosed with can-
•HCON 174 IH 
cer under the age of 45 can expect to live at least five 
years beyond the diagnosis of their disease; 
Whereas long-term consequences of cancer treatment are of 
increasing concern to patients since they are increasingly 
likely to survive their cancer; 
Whereas the diagnosis of infertility can be as devastating for 
many patients as the cancer diagnosis itself; 
Whereas successful fertility preservation options for men and 
women exist and include: sperm banking, oocyte (egg) 
freezing, and ovarian and testicular tissue freezing; 
Whereas many cancer patients have the option of taking 
steps to preserve their fertility before their potentially 
sterilizing cancer treatment begins; 
Whereas many patients do not take steps to preserve their 
fertility before treatment because they are not informed 
by their health care professionals that their fertility is at 
risk, or, if they are informed of the risk, they are gen-
erally not counseled on their fertility preservation op-
tions; 
Whereas unrelated factors such as marital status or poor 
prognosis should not preclude certain patients from being 
informed about their fertility risks and options; and 
Whereas the 2003–2004 President’s Cancer Panel Report 
recognized that comprehensive written and verbal infor-
mation regarding fertility side effects and fertility preser-
vation options for all reproductive-age patients should be 
provided before treatment: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that—
•HCON 174 IH 
(1) cancer-related infertility is a serious quality 
of life issue for reproductive-age cancer patients; 
(2) national and community organizations 
should be recognized and applauded for their work 
in promoting awareness of the risks of infertility and 
fertility preservation options for cancer survivors; 
(3) the medical community should increase its 
efforts to ensure that discussions about the risk of 
infertility and fertility preservation options are an 
integral part of pretreatment planning and consent 
for treatment for all reproductive-age patients; and 
(4) the Federal Government, acting through the 
National Institutes of Health, should endeavor to—
(A) encourage research that will strength-
en fertility preservation technologies for cancer 
patients; 
(B) continue to consider ways to improve 
access to fertility preservation options for can-
cer patients; and 
(C) endeavor to raise awareness about the 
fertility side effects and fertility preservation 
options for cancer patients.
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