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 -