A Call to Action!
Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act
of 2009 (H.R.3974)
Read the Bill »
Call to Action in PDF format »
Contact your Representative!
The Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Prevention and Control Act of 2009 was introduced today by U.S. Representatives Mike Honda, (D-CA) and Charles Dent (R-PA) with original cosponsors Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Edolphus Towns (D-NY), Anh “Joseph” Cao (R-LA), David Wu (D-OR), Todd Platts (R-PA), Donna M. Christiansen (D-VI), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Bobby Rush (D-IL), George Butterfield (D-NC), and Judy Chu (D-CA). We need your Representative to join as cosponsor and show their support for addressing the viral hepatitis epidemic!
In order to pass this historic legislation, we need you to take a few minutes to make an important phone call or send an email! This bill affects people at risk for and chronically infected with hepatitis B and C by expanding education for patients and health care providers, increasing access to hepatitis testing and liver cancer screening, improving the capacity of health departments to detect outbreaks, and supporting viral hepatitis prevention and education programs across the U.S..
Make a Phone Call! Send an Email!
Call or email your U.S. House Representative’s office in Washington, DC. Ask to speak to the staff person who handles health care issues. You might get their voicemail or you might reach this person directly. Even if you reach voice mail, leave your message.
Sample call/email script:
“My name is ____________ , I live in (city, state), and I care about viral hepatitis. Hepatitis is a serious health problem in the U.S., in my District, and is a very important issue to me. I urge Representative _____________ to show leadership in the fight against hepatitis and liver cancer by cosponsoring Representative Honda and Dent’s Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control Act, H.R.3974. Thank you.”
If there is time, tell them why this issue is important to you. You will probably only have time for 2-3 sentences. Members of Congress and their staff pay attention to their constituents. They need to hear how viral hepatitis affects you, the people you care for, your friends, family, and co-workers. Our lawmakers are unaware of viral hepatitis and how it impacts people in their Districts so they really need to hear from you!
You can reach your Representative by calling the Capitol Switchboard at 1-202-224-3121 or email Representatives directly from writerep.house.gov. If you don’t know who your Representative is, go to www.congress.org and enter your zip code in the upper right corner. If your representative is already a sponsor, thank him for his sponsorship and offer to provide your experience/expertise in this issue as needed. Use your social and professional networks to get more people like you to call their representatives! Forward this email widely!
Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act
of 2009 (H.R.3974)
The Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control Act would amend the Public Health Service Act to establish, promote, and support a comprehensive prevention, research, and medical management referral program for chronic hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis C virus infection, to include the following:
- EDUCATION AND TRAINING
- MEDICAL REFERRAL
- HEPATITIS B and C DISEASE CONTROL
- SURVEILLANCE
- IMMUNIZATION
- RESEARCH
- STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ADULT VIRAL HEPATITIS COORDINATORS
- INTEGRATION WITH EXISTING PROGRAMS
- EXPANDED ACCESS TO SERVICES FOR UNDERSERVED AND DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED POPULATIONS
Call to Action in PDF format
NVHR Strategic Plan
A Call to Action
NVHR
National Hepatitis Elimination Strategy: Eliminate Hepatitis: A Call to Action
Proposal for action builds on the strengths
and successes of our collective membership and this country’s existing
healthcare system. It can be done. Here’s how.
Our comprehensive study and discussions with national experts have netted
four recommendations:
- Build the capacity to address the challenges of viral hepatitis.
- Vaccinate America to eliminate vaccine-preventable viral hepatitis
- Counsel, test and refer persons at risk for viral hepatitis to inform
them about how to reduce their risks
- Care for persons with chronic hepatitis and help them participate
in the management of their condition
Organizations Which Support the Plan
Albert Sabin Vaccine Institute
American Academy of Physician Assistants
American Association of Occupational Health Nurses
American Cancer Society
American Correctional Association
American Liver Foundation
American Medical Association
American Social Health Association
Asian Liver Center, Stanford University
Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations
Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
Center for Health Improvement
Center for Study of Hepatitis C, Columbia University
Center for the Study of Asian American Health
Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists
FAIR Foundation
Frontline Health Worker Safety
H.E.A.L.S. of North Georgia
Harm Reduction Coalition
HBV Adoption Support Group
Health Partners, Regions Hospital
Hep C Connection
Hepatitis B Foundation
Hepatitis B Initiative
Hepatitis B Support List
Hepatitis C Association
Hepatitis C Caring Ambassadors
Hepatitis C MultiCultural Outreach
Hepatitis C Strategy Group
Hepatitis C Support Project
Hepatitis Education Project
Hepatitis Foundation International
Hepatitis Magazine
Hep-C Alert
Hep-Can
Hope for Hepatitis C Foundation
Immunization Action Coalition
Institute for Criminal Justice Healthcare
Julia Spears Foundation
Kaiser Permanente
Latino Organization for Liver Awareness
Liver Hope, Inc.
Liver Research Institute
Maryland Hepatitis C Action
Missouri Hepatitis C Alliance
National AIDS Treatment Advocacy Project
National Alliance of Methadone Advocates
National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors
National Association of Community Health Centers
National Association of County and City Health Officials
National Association of Hepatitis Task Forces
National Coalition for the Homeless
National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD)
National Hepatitis C Advocacy Council
National Medical Association
National Task Force on Hepatitis B: Focus on Asian Americans
and Pacific Islanders
Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases
Positive Health Project
Taskforce for Child Survival and Development
The AIDS Institute
The Bruckner Group
The Harm Reduction Project
Therapeutic Communities of America
Treatment Action Group
University of New Mexico
