Fw: Support accurate information about women's health

[Guest guest]

Attention: Texas Women

Martha Murdock, DirectorNational Silicone Implant Foundation | Dallas Headquarters"Supporting Survivors of Medical Implant Devices"4416 Willow LaneDallas, TX 75244-7537

----- Original Message ----- From: Texas Campaign for Women's Health

Action Alert

Sent: Friday, March 14, 2003 5:08 PM

Subject: Support accurate information about women's health

*********Texas Campaign for Women's Health Alert*******PLEASE DISTRIBUTE WIDELY

Action Needed RIGHT AWAY!Dear Advocates,You have two important opportunities to influence legislation for women¹s health care right now:1) Save funding for women's health care. The full House Appropriations Committee will hear the Department of Health budget next week. If you have not done so yet, you still have time to send a letter of your support for funding for women¹s health care. Contact me for details: Lramsey@..., or phone: (512) 448-4857.

2) Help keep women from receiving false information about breast cancer The House State Affairs Committee is set to hear a bill on Monday (March 17--I know, it's SOON!) that would require abortion providers to give women information about the risks associated with particular abortion procedures, and it specifically mentions an association with breast cancer.The Texas Campaign for Women's Health is urging the legislature to strike this language as the most comprehensive studies have concluded there is no increased risk for breast cancer in women who have had an abortion. The scientific panel appointed by the director of the National Cancer Institute has concluded that there is no evidence that having an abortion increases the risk of breast cancer later in life. The panel¹s conclusion was based on four new studies and a review of earlier ones that were all reported at a cancer institute workshop in late February. The panel, which was composed of the institute¹s Board of Scientific Advisors and Board of Scientific Counselors, unanimously accepted the findings from the workshop on Monday of this week.TCWH supports the provision of medically accurate information for women seeking any medical procedure, and medically accurate, scientifically sound information on all safe and legal options for reproductive health care.

WHAT YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW:TCWH is compiling letters from cosponsoring organizations (on letterhead) and advocates (hand written gets their attention) in support of our request to strike language requiring the provision of medically inaccurate and misleading information to women seeking health care advice. Please let me know if you think you can help! You could fax a letter to my office over the weekend, or by 9:30 am Monday at 512-448-3373. Email me at Lramsey@...Many thanks!Lesley Ramsey PS--if you miss this deadline, but agree with our opposition to this language being included in the bill, you may still fax a letter in support of our request to strike the language. The bill will still have to go to the Senate, and if we need it, we can use your letter there!********************Lesley RamseyProject DirectorTexas Campaign for Women's Health905-A W. OltorfAustin, Texas 78704(512) 448-4857(512) 448-3373 fax