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