PRINTER'S NO. 3061
No. 550 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY HARHART, MAJOR, GINGRICH, ARGALL, DALLY, REICHLEY, STERN, R. STEVENSON, MOYER, BAKER, BELFANTI, BENNINGHOFF, BENNINGTON, BEYER, BRENNAN, CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, CAUSER, COHEN, CONKLIN, CREIGHTON, DALEY, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, J. EVANS, FABRIZIO, FLECK, FRANKEL, GALLOWAY, GEIST, GEORGE, GIBBONS, GODSHALL, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HARHAI, HARKINS, HELM, HENNESSEY, HERSHEY, HESS, HUTCHINSON, KENNEY, MANN, MANTZ, MARKOSEK, MARSICO, McILHATTAN, MELIO, MENSCH, MICOZZIE, MILLARD, MOUL, MUSTIO, NAILOR, D. O'BRIEN, PALLONE, PAYNE, PYLE, QUIGLEY, QUINN, RAMALEY, READSHAW, REED, ROSS, RUBLEY, SAINATO, SANTONI, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, SONNEY, SWANGER, TRUE, VULAKOVICH, WATSON, WOJNAROSKI, YOUNGBLOOD, CUTLER, MURT AND MANDERINO, JANUARY 14, 2008
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, JANUARY 14, 2008
A RESOLUTION 1 Recognizing the month of January 2008 as "Cervical Cancer 2 Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania. 3 WHEREAS, The American Cancer Society estimated that in 2007, 4 11,150 women in the United States were diagnosed with cervical 5 cancer and more than 3,670 died of the disease; and 6 WHEREAS, Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of 7 cancer deaths among women worldwide; and 8 WHEREAS, Human papillomavirus is a primary cause of cervical 9 cancer; and 10 WHEREAS, Each year, more than 5 million people acquire human 11 papillomavirus, which is linked to cervical cancer in high-risk 12 cases; and
1 WHEREAS, With regular and accurate screening, cervical cancer 2 is highly preventable; and 3 WHEREAS, Widespread screening has reduced death rates from 4 cervical cancer, but women are still dying despite advanced 5 medical techniques and evaluative procedures; and 6 WHEREAS, Cervical cancer rates in the United States are 7 affected by education, access to regular cervical cancer 8 screening and screening accuracy; and 9 WHEREAS, Experience shows that increasing cervical cancer 10 awareness among women, especially underserved women, 11 significantly reduces the probability of mortality; and 12 WHEREAS, Cervical cancer disproportionately affects minority 13 women and women with lower incomes who are less likely to have 14 access to routine screening; and 15 WHEREAS, Approximately half of all cervical cancer cases are 16 in women who have never been screened and 10% of cases are in 17 women who have not been screened within the last five years; and 18 WHEREAS, The median age of cervical cancer patients at 19 diagnosis is 47 years, the youngest median age for all female 20 reproductive cancers; and 21 WHEREAS, New screening technologies offer new opportunities 22 to finally eliminate cervical cancer through early 23 identification of women at increased risk; and 24 WHEREAS, These technologies include testing approved by the 25 Food and Drug Administration for human papillomavirus, the cause 26 of virtually all cervical cancers; and 27 WHEREAS, The United States Food and Drug Administration has 28 approved a vaccine for human papillomavirus, for females 9 to 26 29 years of age, which prevents infection by four major types of 30 human papillomavirus and prevents most cases of cervical cancer; 20080H0550R3061 - 2 -
1 and 2 WHEREAS, The National Immunization Program of the Centers for 3 Disease Control and Prevention and the Advisory Committee on 4 Immunization Practices have jointly recommended the use of the 5 human papillomavirus vaccine; and 6 WHEREAS, Women are entitled to appropriate information 7 relating to cervical cancer so they may make informed health 8 care decisions and may access accurate screening and 9 vaccination; and 10 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth recognizes that through education 11 and screening, women can decrease their likelihood of developing 12 cervical cancer, and that with early detection, cervical cancer 13 can be successfully treated; therefore be it 14 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the 15 month of January 2008 as "Cervical Cancer Awareness Month" in 16 Pennsylvania to increase awareness, on the part of women, 17 families, health care providers and policymakers, of the risks, 18 prevalence and treatability of cervical cancer and the 19 importance of early access to accurate screening. L17L82JS/20080H0550R3061 - 3 -