Full Text of HR0214 99th General Assembly
HR0214 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver caused | 3 | | by a viral infection; there are 5
Hepatitis viruses, designated | 4 | | as types A, B, C, D, and E; the 5 types of Hepatitis can be | 5 | | fatal and
potentially lead to an outbreak, which can affect | 6 | | others; and
| 7 | | WHEREAS, Hepatitis C is a serious liver disease that | 8 | | results from the Hepatitis C virus;
Hepatitis C has been called | 9 | | a silent epidemic because most people with Hepatitis C do not | 10 | | know
they are infected; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, While some people who become infected with | 12 | | Hepatitis C are able to clear, or get
rid of, the virus, most | 13 | | people who are infected develop a chronic or lifelong | 14 | | infection; and | 15 | | WHEREAS, Over time, chronic Hepatitis C can lead to serious | 16 | | liver problems, including liver
damage, cirrhosis, liver | 17 | | failure, or liver cancer, however, many people can benefit from
| 18 | | available treatment options that can eliminate the virus from | 19 | | the body and prevent further liver
damage; and | 20 | | WHEREAS, According to the Centers for Disease Control and | 21 | | Prevention, there were 1,229
reported cases of Hepatitis C and |
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| 1 | | an estimate of 16,500 actual cases of the virus in the United
| 2 | | States in 2011; in 2010, 16,627 deaths were reported as the | 3 | | result of Hepatitis C, a number that is
considered to be only a | 4 | | fraction of deaths attributable in whole or part to chronic | 5 | | Hepatitis C; and | 6 | | WHEREAS, Hepatitis C is considered to be the deadliest of | 7 | | the 5 viruses and currently takes
more lives in the United | 8 | | States than HIV, AIDS, and all other types of Hepatitis; if | 9 | | left untreated,
Hepatitis C can lead to liver failure, liver | 10 | | cancer, or cirrhosis; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, Many people with chronic Hepatitis C do not have | 12 | | symptoms and do not know they
are infected; people with chronic | 13 | | Hepatitis C can live for decades without symptoms or feeling
| 14 | | sick; and
| 15 | | WHEREAS, Those born between 1945 and 1965 are | 16 | | disproportionately affected by Hepatitis C
and the Centers for | 17 | | Disease Control and Prevention recommends that these | 18 | | individuals get a one-time
test regardless of whether or not | 19 | | they have any symptoms; other groups that are
| 20 | | disproportionately impacted by Hepatitis C include African | 21 | | Americans, those undergoing
dialysis, hemophiliacs, the | 22 | | homeless, the incarcerated, those who received a blood | 23 | | transfusion
before 1992, and Vietnam veterans; new treatments |
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| 1 | | have become available to patients within
the last year and cure | 2 | | rates have increased exponentially; and
| 3 | | WHEREAS, Illinois State Representative Michael McAuliffe | 4 | | (R-Chicago) has personally
experienced the Hepatitis virus in | 5 | | his family and has been an outspoken advocate for
encouraging | 6 | | individuals, especially veterans, to be tested for the virus; | 7 | | he, along with the
members of this body, want to ensure that | 8 | | the people of Illinois understand the dangers of
Hepatitis and | 9 | | the urgent need to raise awareness in order to prevent the | 10 | | spread of Hepatitis
C before it takes any more lives; | 11 | | therefore, be it
| 12 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 13 | | NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we | 14 | | designate May of 2015 as
"Hepatitis C Awareness Month" in the | 15 | | State of Illinois; and be it further
| 16 | | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | 17 | | delivered to the Governor of Illinois, all
other constitutional | 18 | | officers, and all members of the Illinois General Assembly in | 19 | | order to raise
awareness of Hepatitis C.
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