1-1                          SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 427

        1-2           WHEREAS, The National Institute of Health has declared chronic

        1-3     viral hepatitis to be a major public health care issue; and

        1-4           WHEREAS, At the present time, chronic viral hepatitis infects

        1-5     4,500,000 Americans; each year, 150,000 new cases of chronic viral

        1-6     hepatitis occur in the United States; and

        1-7           WHEREAS, The cause of 8,000 to 10,000 preventable deaths a

        1-8     year in the United States, the hepatitis C virus costs the

        1-9     nation over $7 million per 100,000 patients, because people

       1-10     infected with the virus experience few symptoms until the virus

       1-11     causes irreversible liver damage; and

       1-12           WHEREAS, Eighty-five percent of all Americans infected with

       1-13     the hepatitis C virus become chronically infected and develop

       1-14     cirrhosis and liver cancer; and

       1-15           WHEREAS, In more than 40 percent of infected patients, it is

       1-16     unknown how the virus was transmitted; there is a United States

       1-17     Food and Drug Administration approved treatment for the hepatitis C

       1-18     virus; and

       1-19           WHEREAS, Educating Americans about chronic viral hepatitis can

       1-20     help prevent its spread; now, therefore, be it

       1-21           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,

       1-22     75th Legislature, hereby designate the month of June, 1997, as

       1-23     Hepatitis Awareness Month; and, be it further

        2-1           RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared as an

        2-2     expression of the sentiment of the Texas Senate.

        2-3                                                                   Madla

        2-4                                  ______________________________________

        2-5                                          President of the Senate

        2-6                                       I hereby certify that the above

        2-7                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate

        2-8                                  on April 2, 1997.

        2-9                                  ______________________________________

       2-10                                          Secretary of the Senate

       2-11                                  ______________________________________

       2-12                                           Member, Texas Senate