Hepatitis C Challenge: Caring Ambassadors Hep C Program
 HepC Choices

Act Now to Impact Hepatitis C

FEDERAL HEPATITIS C LEGISLATION NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT

The Hepatitis C Epidemic Control and Prevention Act is essential federal legislation needed to help bring the hepatitis C crisis under control.

We need to tell our elected officials that we want them to vote for the passage of this bill!

Who should respond? 

All persons affected by HCV or concerned about the hepatitis C crisis including: 

  • people living with hepatitis C 
  • family members, friends, and loved ones of individuals living with HCV 
  • all people concerned about the public health and financial crisis emerging because of hepatitis C 
  • organizations serving people living with or at risk for hepatitis C 

When to respond? Immediately 

How to respond

Write a letter to your Congressional representatives:

IMPORTANT: When you e-mail a Senator or Representatives, it is important to send it through the webform address listed at his/her site. If your email does not come through in this form, it will most likely be deleted as junk e-mail.

Sample Letter to send your Senator or Representative

Dear Senator NAME or Representative NAME (choose the proper title and add his/her last name),

I am deeply concerned about the hepatitis C crisis in our country. Hepatitis C is a life-threatening disease that has rapidly become the most common blood-borne viral infection in the United States. Between 3 to 5 million Americans are currently infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV), and an estimated 30,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. The National Institutes of Health 2002 Consensus Report clearly stated that hepatitis C is an epidemic without financial resources. Hepatitis C is a grave threat to all Americans in terms of our public health and our collective future. No other disease is expected to increase its burden as rapidly as hepatitis C will in the coming decade.

I implore you to support passage of the Hepatitis C Epidemic Control and Prevention Act, S1445, introduced by, Senators Edward Kennedy and Kay Bailey Hutchison, and HR 2552, introduced in the House of Representatives, by, Mr. Edolphus Towns of New York and Mrs. Heather Wilson of New Mexico.

This legislation will amend the Public Health Service Act and direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish, promote, and support a comprehensive prevention, research, and treatment referral programs for hepatitis C virus infection.

The Hepatitis C Epidemic Control and Prevention Act addresses critical HCV prevention and control needs in the community including:

  • Education & Training - to heighten awareness and enhance knowledge and understanding of hepatitis C.
  • Medical Management - to diagnose persons with HCV and refer them for quality health care.
  • Research Network - to conduct HCV research on disease progression, epidemiology, prevention, and treatment.
  • Surveillance - to determine accurate estimates of the incidence, prevalence, and disease burden of HCV.
  • Disease Control & Prevention - to promote and support state and local HCV counseling, pharmaceutical treatment, testing, and prevention programs.
  • Immunization - to support state and local programs to vaccinate HCV infected persons, or at risk of infection, against hepatitis A and B.
  • Hepatitis C Coordinators - to work in each state and ensure the implementation of HCV prevention and control in their respective state.
  • Underserved and Disproportionately Affected Populations Activities - to promote expanded support for persons with limited access to health education, testing, and health care services and groups that may be disproportionately affected by HCV.

I urge you to make hepatitis C your leading health priority and look forward to your support of the Hepatitis C Epidemic Control and Prevention Act, S.1445/H.R.2552 introduced this session.

Sincerely,

Your Name

Your City, State, and Zip Code

Sincerely,

Your Name

Your City, State, and Zip Code

Remember, YOUR elected officials need to hear from YOU that hepatitis C is a problem.

  • The more they hear about hepatitis C from the "people back home," the more your likely it is that our Congressional leaders will do something about it.
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Hepatitis C is the most common, chronic blood-borne
viral infection in the U.S.

Caring Ambassadors Hepatitis C Program
604 East 16th Street,
Suite 201
Vancouver, WA 98663
Phone: 360-816-4186
FAX: 360-750-1320
http://www.hepcchallenge.org