[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 233 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 233

         Recognizing July 28, 2015, as ``World Hepatitis Day''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 28, 2015

  Ms. Hirono (for herself, Mr. Schumer, and Mr. Schatz) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
         Recognizing July 28, 2015, 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 350,000,000 people worldwide live with chronic hepatitis B, 
        and an estimated 780,000 people worldwide die each year due to hepatitis 
        B;
Whereas an estimated 150,000,000 people worldwide are chronically infected with 
        hepatitis C, and an estimated 500,000 people worldwide die each year due 
        to a liver-related illness caused by hepatitis C;
Whereas an estimated 1,000,000 people worldwide die each year due to liver 
        failure or primary liver cancer resulting from a chronic infection of 
        hepatitis;
Whereas an estimated 5,300,000 people in the United States are infected with 
        either hepatitis B or hepatitis C, including 1,400,000 people who are 
        chronically infected with hepatitis B and 2,700,000 people who are 
        chronically infected with hepatitis C;
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (referred to in this 
        preamble as ``CDC'') estimated that there were 19,764 new hepatitis B 
        infections and 29,718 new hepatitis C infections, respectively, in the 
        United States in 2013;
Whereas the CDC has found significant increases in the transmission of new 
        hepatitis cases in the United States since 2010, including a 151 percent 
        increase between 2010 and 2013 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 19,368 deaths due to hepatitis C in the United 
        States in 2013;
Whereas, in 2014, $4,500,000,000 in Medicare funds were spent on hepatitis C 
        treatments;
Whereas a person who has become chronically infected with hepatitis B or 
        hepatitis C may not have symptoms for up to 40 years after the initial 
        infection occurred;
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 (referred to in this preamble as ``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, 2015, 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 Senate--
            (1) recognizes July 28, 2015, as ``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 5,000,000 
        people in the United States and 400,000,000 people worldwide 
        who suffer from chronic viral hepatitis.
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