Bill Summary
This resolution expresses the support of the House of Representatives for the designation of April 30 as "National Adult Hepatitis B Vaccination Awareness Day". It highlights the prevalence of hepatitis B in the United States and the risks associated with the disease, particularly for vulnerable populations. It also recognizes the importance of vaccination in preventing new infections and reducing the incidence of liver cancer and cirrhosis. The resolution encourages efforts to increase adult hepatitis B vaccination rates and maintain childhood vaccination rates, as well as promoting awareness among healthcare providers and communities.
Possible Impacts
1. This legislation could affect individuals with chronic hepatitis B by raising awareness about the disease and encouraging them to seek medical care and treatment.
2. It could also affect individuals with chronic diseases such as diabetes, HIV, and chronic liver disease by emphasizing their increased risk for hepatitis B and encouraging them to get vaccinated.
3. The legislation could also affect individuals living in areas with high rates of opioid use by highlighting the link between the opioid epidemic and the increase in acute hepatitis B infections, and promoting efforts to prevent new infections through increased vaccination rates.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 331 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 331
Expressing support for the designation of April 30 as ``National Adult
Hepatitis B Vaccination Awareness Day''.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 30, 2019
Mr. Johnson of Georgia (for himself, Ms. Meng, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Ms. Lee
of California, Mr. Lewis, Ms. Norton, Mr. Grijalva, Mrs. Watson
Coleman, and Ms. Judy Chu of California) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Expressing support for the designation of April 30 as ``National Adult
Hepatitis B Vaccination Awareness Day''.
Whereas up to 2.2 million individuals in the United States are chronically
infected with hepatitis B, and up to two-thirds of individuals with
chronic hepatitis B are unaware of their infection status;
Whereas hepatitis B is a viral infection of the liver transmitted via infected
blood and other body fluids, including mother-to-child transmission and
transmission through injection drug use;
Whereas individuals with chronic diseases such as diabetes, HIV, hepatitis C,
and chronic liver disease, and individuals on hemodialysis are at an
increased risk for hepatitis B co-infection;
Whereas there is no cure for hepatitis B and individuals with chronic hepatitis
B require lifelong medical care;
Whereas chronic hepatitis B represents one of the most common causes of liver
cancer;
Whereas 1 in every 4 individuals with unmanaged chronic hepatitis B will develop
liver cancer, cirrhosis, or liver failure, with liver cancer only having
an 18 percent 5-year survival rate in the United States;
Whereas safe and highly effective vaccines to protect against hepatitis B are
currently available and infants and children have been routinely
vaccinated against hepatitis B since the 1990s in accordance with
universal childhood hepatitis B vaccination recommendations in the
United States;
Whereas the hepatitis B vaccine, which is 95 percent effective and was the first
anticancer vaccine to be developed, is projected to prevent 310 million
cases of hepatitis B worldwide from 1990 to 2020;
Whereas only 25 percent of adults are vaccinated against hepatitis B in the
United States;
Whereas the number of reported acute hepatitis B cases increased by 20 percent
nationwide in 2015, and there have been significant regional increases
in acute hepatitis B cases in the United States as a result of the
opioid epidemic, with Maine reporting a 729-percent increase in acute
hepatitis B infections from 2015 to 2017, Kentucky, West Virginia, and
Tennessee reporting a 114-percent increase from 2009 to 2013,
southeastern Massachusetts reporting a 78-percent increase in 2017, and
North Carolina reporting a 62-percent increase from 2012 to 2016;
Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hepatitis
B is 50 to 100 times more infectious than HIV and 5 to 10 times more
infectious than hepatitis C; and
Whereas there are significant opportunities to prevent new hepatitis B
infections and subsequently reduce the incidence of liver cancer and
cirrhosis through efforts to increase adult hepatitis B vaccination and
maintain childhood hepatitis B vaccination, particularly within the
setting of the opioid epidemic: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) supports the designation of ``National Adult Hepatitis
B Vaccination Awareness Day'';
(2) recognizes the importance of providing support for
individuals to be tested for hepatitis B, vaccinating those
susceptible to hepatitis B, and linking to appropriate care
those diagnosed with hepatitis B; and
(3) encourages a commitment to increasing adult hepatitis B
vaccination rates, maintaining childhood hepatitis B
vaccination rates, and promoting provider and community
awareness of adult hepatitis B vaccination in order to reduce
the number of new hepatitis B infections and hepatitis B-
related deaths.
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