PRINTER'S NO. 144
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.
A26L82RLE/20070H0042R0144 - 3 -