HR1062 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1062 LRB099 20942 GRL 45836 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The month of May is nationally recognized as Hepatitis Awareness Month, thanks to the "Know More Hepatitis" campaign initiative undertaken by the United States Centers for Disease Control's Division of Viral Hepatitis; the campaign is designed to increase awareness about the hidden epidemic that affects the lives of so many; and

WHEREAS, Hepatitis is a disease that primarily affects the liver through inflammation; toxins, certain drugs, heavy alcohol use, and bacterial and viral infections can all cause hepatitis; the most common types are Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C, each caused by three different viruses; and

WHEREAS, Hepatitis is particularly dangerous because the symptoms do not manifest upon contraction and in some cases, not even in more advanced stages; this unfortunately leads to individuals going unaware of their infection; and

WHEREAS, Of the three most prevalent types of hepatitis, the Hepatitis C virus is the most pernicious; there are vaccines for Hepatitis A and B, but no such vaccine exists for Hepatitis C; and

WHEREAS, Hepatitis C is primarily transmitted through exposure to infected blood; most cases result from sharing needles or other paraphernalia used to inject drugs; prior to 1992, when screening for the virus was not common practice, Hepatitis C was frequently spread through blood transfusions and organ transplants; there are certain demographics that have been identified as most at-risk; and

WHEREAS, Anyone can get Hepatitis C, but baby boomers are five times more likely; more than 75% of adults infected are baby boomers; and

WHEREAS, According to the CDC, in 2013, there were an estimated 29,718 cases of acute Hepatitis C virus infections reported in the United States; an estimated 3.5 million people in the United States have chronic Hepatitis C; approximately 75-85% of the people who become infected with Hepatitis C develop a chronic infection; and

WHEREAS, According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, from 2005 to 2015, there were 80,068 cases of chronic or resolved Hepatitis C virus infections reported, with 171 other cases reported to be acute forms of the infection; and

WHEREAS, Of those infected in Illinois, more than half were between the ages of 46 and 60; almost 35% were white, nearly 16% African-American, 1.12% Asian, and 46% were unknown; and

WHEREAS, During that same period, Cook County reported the overwhelming majority of cases in Illinois with over 36,000; the City of Chicago alone accounted for almost 13,000; and

WHEREAS, Numerous private and public organizations such as the American Liver Foundation, the Illinois State Medical Society, the Chicago Department of Public Health, the Illinois Department of Public Health, and the CDC have championed efforts to raise awareness and to find solutions to the problems resulting from the Hepatitis C virus in Illinois and across the country; and

WHEREAS, With this initiative in mind, and as a means to help various groups work together to find solutions to many of the problems resulting from the virus, the Hepatitis C Task Force was created in Illinois in 2013 with bipartisan support in both chambers of the General Assembly; the Task Force has been working diligently to develop strategies and to identify and address the needs of those infected with Hepatitis C to improve patient quality of life; and

WHEREAS, The commendable efforts of State agencies, advocacy groups, and concerned citizens to help raise awareness of Hepatitis C have undoubtedly helped to reduce the spread of the disease; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we designate May of 2016 as "Hepatitis C Awareness Month" in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the Governor of Illinois, all other constitutional officers, and all members of the Illinois General Assembly in order to bring further awareness of the prevalence of the Hepatitis C virus in our State and around the country.