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Dear Senator/Representative, The undersigned organizations declare their support of the Hepatitis C Epidemic Control and Prevention Act. The Act amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish, promote, and support a comprehensive prevention, research, and treatment program for Hepatitis C Virus infection. Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is the most common blood-borne infection in the United States. Once infected, most individuals remain persistently infected, with 70% developing chronic liver disease and its often life-threatening sequelae. Conservatively estimated, nearly 3,000,000 Americans have chronic Hepatitis C today, with 35,000 new infections occurring every year. Hepatitis C is a national epidemic without financial resources according to a recent report from the National Institutes of Health. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that the death rate from HCV-related liver disease will triple by the year 2010. No other disease is expected to increase its burden as rapidly as Hepatitis C in the coming decade. Disease specific interventions are needed immediately. The Hepatitis C Epidemic Control and Prevention Act directly addresses these critical unmet needs through: · Education and Training implement a program to heighten awareness and enhance knowledge and understanding of Hepatitis C. · Medical Management ensure that HCV-positive persons identified through HCV counseling and testing programs have access to medical evaluation and management, including currently recommended antiviral therapy when appropriate. · Clinical Research Network establish and support a Hepatitis C Clinical Research Network for the purpose of conducting research related to natural history, epidemiology, prevention and treatment. · Seroprevalence Study ensure that a seroprevalence study is conducted to estimate the current and future impact, nationally and regionally, of HCV. · Hepatitis C Disease Control promote and support state and local HCV counseling, pharmaceutical treatment, testing and prevention programs. · Immunization promote and support state and local programs to vaccinate HCV infected persons, or at risk of infection, against Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B. · Hepatitis C Coordinators support provision of Hepatitis C Coordinators to each state and large metropolitan health department to provide the additional management, networking, and technical expertise needed. · Underserved and Disproportionately Affected Populations 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. We urge you to make Hepatitis C your leading health priority. We look forward to your support of the Hepatitis C Epidemic Control and Prevention Act being introduced this session. Sincerely, |
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Lorren Sandt, Executive Director Hepatitis C Caring Ambassadors Program, Inc. Oregon City, OR Andi Thomas, Executive Director Sharon Phillips, Executive Director Linda J. Bird, President Ann Jesse, Executive Director Sue Simon, CEO Helen Clark, President Phyllis Beck, Executive Director Barbara Veres, Publisher Hepatitis Magazine Brian Klein, MA, LMSW, Founding Member Bruce Burkett, President Lama AK Palmo, Executive Director Michael Ninburg Pat Buchanan, Vice President Joey Tranchina, Executive Director Alan Franciscus, Executive Director James Learned Terry Baker, CEO Alfred M. Prince, MD., Chairman Frederick W. Christie, Director Allan Clear, Executive Director Joyce A. Rivera, Executive Director Gary R. Rose Luciano Colonna, Executive Director Thelma Theil Dan Bigg, Cheryl Blankenship
Kupras, LCSW, Psychiatric Social Worker II Santa Clara County,
Department of Alcohol and Drug Services Central Valley Clinic, Monica Farina RN, MS, President Robert T O'Brien Allison Dinsmore Cindy Bolden Calhoun, Executive Director Mark Harrington, Executive Director Philip G. Curtis Ethan Nadelmann , Executive Director Billy Russo, Executive Director Timothea Beckerman Ann Ferguson, RN Laurie Schowalter, MPH Julie Davids, Director Bob Tracy, Director Ellen Supplee, Client Services/Prevention Case Manager Adana Burke-Hooten, Director Jenine Guerriere, Program Coordinator Rebecca Ballard Casey Cook, Executive Director Lucy Bradley-Springer, PhD, RN, ACRN President, Javier G. Salazar Acting Director Mark W. Parrino, MPA, President Malcolm Dickson Terri Martinez Chris Kelly Chapter Pete Prydybasz William D. McColl Director of National Affairs Drug Policy Alliance
Gene Copello, Executive Director Don Doty, President Joycelyn Woods, President Marc Cohen, President Top of Page Back to Legislation Page |
Julie Davids, Director Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization for Power (CHAMP) New York, NY Hank Mills, Director Frank Pizzoli, Founder Lei Chou, Director Ryan Clary, Senior Policy Advocate Jessica Guernsey Camargo, MPH, Health Educator Laurence Pagnoni Jules Levin, Executive Director/Founder Fred Schaich, President Anthony Gichemi, Outreach Co-coordinator Judy Greenspan, Chairperson Dan Homchick, Health Educator/Outreach Specialist Lynda Dee Alex Kral, PhD, Director Urban Health Studies, Don Maison, President and CEO Ajax Greene, CEO Katy Caldwell, Executive Director Kris Nyrop John Manzon-Santos, Executive Director Howard Josepher, CSW, Executive Director Bernice Tucker, Founding Director Harry L. Simpson, Director of Substance Abuse Services Annet Davis-Vogel, R.N. M.S.W., Manager Research Projects Mysheika LeMaile-Williams, MD, MPH, Medical Director Michael Bethea Brian Varner, Director of Treatment Education Robert Greenwald, Director Kenneth I. Freedman, MD, Medical Director David S. Erickson, Dr. P.H., Director of Education Rachel Wilson, Director of Education and Advocacy Alice Bell, L.S.W., Coordinator Craig Thompson, Executive Director Jeff Singer, President and CEO Kathy Kilcourse Mrs. Debbie Delgado - Vega, Founder & CEO Jerry Epstein, Executive Director Louis L. Hughes, Jr., Lead Fac. Ken Akinaka, MRA, Co-Founder Dawn M. Stewart, Founder, Facilitator Steve Kersker Thelma Wright, President/CEO Timothy J. Santamour, Executive Director Dee Lemmon, Vice Chair Susan G. Chapter, Owner Barbara J. Turner MD, MSEd Professor of Medicine Ronald vander Bosch, RN, MPH Linda Wong, Facilitator Jeffrey L. Reynolds, MPA VP for Public Affairs Bennett H. Klein, Esq. AIDS Law Project Director Magnolia Contreras Director of
Public Policy Barry Zevin MD Medical Director Anthony Perrone Bill Remak, Chairman Rachel Wilson Geoffrey Wilkinson Kathy Keough, M.S. Assistant Director of Government &
Regulatory Affairs Sheldon H. Barr, Executive Director
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