Kerry pushes $600 million bill to create national hepatitis strategy

[ProSense]

Source: The Hill

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) on Thursday introduced a bill directing the Department of Health and Human Services to develop a national strategy to prevent and control viral hepatitis.

The bill would authorize funding of almost $600 million over five years to combat the disease. Some 5.3 million Americans are infected with hepatitis B or C, which disproportionately affects blacks and Asian and kills 12,000 to 15,000 Americans every year.

"Viral hepatitis is a silent killer," Kerry said in introducing the legislation. "Most people don’t even know they have hepatitis until it causes liver damage or even cancer years after the initial infection. We can easily avoid these needless tragedies with prevention, surveillance programs, and by educating Americans about this deadly disease."

Kerry's bill — the "Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act" — has the support of 102 community-based organizations that provide viral hepatitis counseling, screening and treatment.


Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/other/112919-kerry-pushes-600-million-bill-to-create-national-hepatitis-strategy