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                                                       PRINTER'S NO. 144

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE RESOLUTION

No. 42 Session of 2007


        INTRODUCED BY HARHART, ADOLPH, BAKER, BARRAR, BELFANTI, BEYER,
           BIANCUCCI, BISHOP, BLACKWELL, BOYD, BUXTON, CALTAGIRONE,
           CAPPELLI, CAUSER, COHEN, CREIGHTON, CURRY, DALEY, DALLY,
           DeLUCA, DePASQUALE, DiGIROLAMO, ELLIS, FAIRCHILD, FRANKEL,
           FREEMAN, GEIST, GEORGE, GIBBONS, GILLESPIE, GINGRICH,
           GODSHALL, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HERSHEY, JAMES, KAUFFMAN, KENNEY,
           KILLION, KOTIK, MACKERETH, MAJOR, MANDERINO, MANN, MANTZ,
           MARKOSEK, MARSICO, McCALL, McGEEHAN, McILHATTAN, MICOZZIE,
           MILLARD, MOYER, MUNDY, MUSTIO, NAILOR, M. O'BRIEN, PALLONE,
           PEIFER, PERRY, PETRONE, PHILLIPS, PICKETT, PYLE, RAMALEY,
           RAPP, READSHAW, REICHLEY, ROHRER, ROSS, RUBLEY, SAINATO,
           SANTONI, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, SIPTROTH, SOLOBAY, SONNEY,
           STABACK, STAIRS, STERN, R. STEVENSON, SURRA, SWANGER,
           J. TAYLOR, TRUE, VEREB, VULAKOVICH, WALKO, WANSACZ, WATSON,
           WOJNAROSKI AND YOUNGBLOOD, JANUARY 31, 2007

        INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
           JANUARY 31, 2007

                                  A RESOLUTION

     1  Designating the month of January 2007 as "Cervical Cancer
     2     Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.

     3     WHEREAS, The American Cancer Society estimated that in 2006,
     4  9,710 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer and more than
     5  3,700 died of the disease in the United States; 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

     1  cases; and
     2     WHEREAS, With regular and accurate screening, cervical cancer
     3  is highly preventable; and
     4     WHEREAS, Widespread screening has reduced death rates from
     5  cervical cancer, but women are still dying despite advanced
     6  medical techniques and evaluative procedures; and
     7     WHEREAS, Cervical cancer rates in the United States are
     8  affected by education, access to regular cervical cancer
     9  screening and screening accuracy; and
    10     WHEREAS, Experience shows that increasing cervical cancer
    11  awareness among women, especially underserved women,
    12  significantly reduces the probability of mortality; and
    13     WHEREAS, Cervical cancer disproportionately affects minority
    14  women and women with lower incomes who are less likely to have
    15  access to routine screening; and
    16     WHEREAS, Approximately half of all cervical cancer cases are
    17  in women who have never been screened, and 10% of cases are in
    18  women who have not been screened within the last five years; and
    19     WHEREAS, The median age of cervical cancer patients at
    20  diagnosis is 47 years, the youngest median age for all female
    21  reproductive cancers; and
    22     WHEREAS, New screening technologies offer new opportunities
    23  to finally eliminate cervical cancer through early
    24  identification of women at increased risk; and
    25     WHEREAS, These technologies include testing approved by the
    26  Food and Drug Administration for human papillomavirus, the cause
    27  of virtually all cervical cancers; and
    28     WHEREAS, The United States Food and Drug Administration has
    29  approved a vaccine for human papillomavirus for females 9 to 26
    30  years of age which prevents infection by four major types of
    20070H0042R0144                  - 2 -     

     1  human papillomavirus and prevents most cases of cervical cancer;
     2  and
     3     WHEREAS, The National Immunization Program of the Centers for
     4  Disease Control and Prevention and the Federal Advisory
     5  Committee on Immunization Practices have jointly recommended the
     6  use of the human papillomavirus vaccine; and
     7     WHEREAS, Women are entitled to appropriate information
     8  relating to cervical cancer so they may make informed health
     9  care decisions and may access accurate screening and
    10  vaccination; and
    11     WHEREAS, The Commonwealth recognizes that, through education
    12  and screening, women can decrease their likelihood of developing
    13  cervical cancer and that, with early detection, cervical cancer
    14  can be successfully treated; therefore be it
    15     RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
    16  month of January 2007 as "Cervical Cancer Awareness Month" in
    17  Pennsylvania to increase awareness on the part of women,
    18  families, health care providers and policymakers of the risks,
    19  prevalence and treatability of cervical cancer and the
    20  importance of early access to accurate screening.







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