Title: Recognizing July 28, 2017, as "World Hepatitis Day".
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Recognizes World Hepatitis Day.
Expresses support for broad access to hepatitis treatments and for raising awareness of the risks and consequences of undiagnosed hepatitis infections.
Calls for a robust governmental and public health response to protect the health of the 5 million people in the United States and 400 million people worldwide who suffer from chronic viral hepatitis.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 32 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 32

         Recognizing July 28, 2017, as ``World Hepatitis Day''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 6, 2017

Ms. Meng submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
         Recognizing July 28, 2017, as ``World Hepatitis Day''.

Whereas hepatitis B and hepatitis C, and the incidence of liver disease caused 
        by these viruses, have become urgent problems of a global proportion;
Whereas an estimated 1,400,000 people worldwide die each year due to hepatitis;
Whereas an estimated 240,000,000 people worldwide live with chronic hepatitis B, 
        and an estimated 686,000 people worldwide die each year due to a liver-
        related illness caused by hepatitis B;
Whereas an estimated 150,000,000 people worldwide are chronically infected with 
        hepatitis C, and an estimated 700,000 people worldwide die each year due 
        to a liver-related illness caused by hepatitis C;
Whereas up to an estimated 6,100,000 people in the United States are infected 
        with either hepatitis B or hepatitis C, and up to an estimated 2,200,000 
        who are chronically infected with hepatitis B and up to an estimated 
        3,900,000 people who are chronically infected with hepatitis C;
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (``CDC'') estimated that 
        there were 19,200 new acute hepatitis B infections and 30,500 new acute 
        hepatitis C infections, respectively, in the United States in 2014;
Whereas the CDC has found significant increases in the transmission of new 
        hepatitis cases in the United States since 2010, including a 158 percent 
        increase between 2010 and 2014 in new transmissions of hepatitis C in 
        the United States;
Whereas chronic viral hepatitis claims thousands of lives each year in the 
        United States, with an estimated 19,659 deaths due to hepatitis C in the 
        United States in 2014;
Whereas, in 2014, $4,700,000,000 in Medicare funds were spent on hepatitis C 
        treatments;
Whereas up to an estimated 80 percent of people with acute Hepatitis C do not 
        have any symptoms;
Whereas African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Pacific Islanders, Latinos, Native 
        Americans, Alaska Natives, gay and bisexual men, and persons who inject 
        drugs intravenously all have higher rates of chronic viral hepatitis 
        infections in the United States than other groups of people;
Whereas Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders bear the greatest burden of 
        hepatitis B-related deaths in the United States;
Whereas hepatitis C is 10 times more infectious than human immunodeficiency 
        virus (``HIV'');
Whereas hepatitis B is 50 to 100 times more infectious than HIV;
Whereas an estimated 25 percent of people who live in the United States and are 
        infected with HIV are also infected with hepatitis C;
Whereas life expectancies for persons infected with HIV have increased with 
        antiretroviral treatment, and liver disease, much of which is related to 
        hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections, has become the most common cause 
        of death among this population that is not related to acquired immune 
        deficiency syndrome;
Whereas, despite the fact that chronic viral hepatitis is the most common blood-
        borne infection in the United States, 65 percent of people living with 
        hepatitis B and an estimated 75 percent of people living with hepatitis 
        C are unaware of their infection;
Whereas hepatitis B is preventable through vaccination, and both hepatitis B and 
        hepatitis C are preventable with proper public health interventions, 
        including programs that offer access to sterile injection equipment for 
        people who inject drugs intravenously;
Whereas effective and safe treatment is available for people living with 
        hepatitis B and hepatitis C, including new curative treatments for 
        hepatitis C; and
Whereas the goals of ``World Hepatitis Day'' on July 28, 2017, are to--

    (1) highlight the global nature of chronic viral hepatitis epidemics;

    (2) recognize that hepatitis can be prevented and eliminated in part 
through a comprehensive public education and awareness campaign designed to 
identify those at risk for, and living with, hepatitis;

    (3) inform patients about new treatments that are available for 
hepatitis; and

    (4) help increase the length and quality of life for people diagnosed 
with chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes ``World Hepatitis Day'';
            (2) supports broad access to hepatitis B and hepatitis C 
        treatments;
            (3) supports raising awareness of the risks and 
        consequences of undiagnosed chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C 
        infections; and
            (4) calls for a robust governmental and public health 
        response to protect the health of the approximately 5,300,000 
        people in the United States and 400,000,000 people worldwide 
        who suffer from chronic viral hepatitis.
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