ACTION ALERT: INCREASE FUNDING FOR HEPATITIS PREVENTION - How You Can Help:Before June 19

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Action Alert(posted June 16, 2008)

ACTION ALERT: INCREASE FUNDING FOR HEPATITIS PREVENTION

On June 19, the House Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies will decide the fate of funding for hepatitis prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for FY2009 before reporting out the appropriations legislation to the full Appropriations Committee for mark up on June 25. The FY2009 House Labor, HHS, Education Appropriation legislation represents an opportunity for Congress to provide critical funding to address the hepatitis C epidemic facing our nation. It is important that this number be as high as possible, as it is difficult to increase the number in the full Appropriations Committee or on either the House or Senate floor. Please contact your Representative and ask them to support a $32.4 increase for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Viral Hepatitis (DVH).

DVH only receives $17.6 million for viral hepatitis prevention and control. $5 million of this funding funds the position of an Adult Viral Hepatitis Prevention Coordinator in 49 states, five cities, and the District of Columbia. With an average funding award of $90,000, this is only enough for the position and not for the provision of prevention services. We believe a $32.4 million increase in funding is an important first step in restoring resources to address critical hepatitis prevention services, such as hepatitis C counseling, testing, and referral and hepatitis A and B vaccine. We want to remind our leaders that treating hepatitis outbreaks as sentinel events rather than systematically addressing hepatitis B and C epidemics with over 6 million Americans infected is not cost-effective prevention.

Please continue to help us fight for increased hepatitis funding by contacting your Representative and ask them to talk with Chairman Obey regarding the tremendous need for increased hepatitis funding. Please take a few minutes to make these important phone calls!

How You Can Help:

Before June 19, call your Representative’s Washington, DC office. Ask to speak to the staff person who handles hepatitis and healthcare issues. Whether you speak to this person directly or leave a message, tell them:

“My name is _________ and I’m a constituent of Representative . I am calling to urge them to weigh in with Chairman Obey of the Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies in support of increased funding for CDC’s Division of Viral Hepatitis. Hepatitis C virus affects over 6 million Americans. Congress has cut or flat funded DVH five years in a row. Money for prevention of hepatitis C is critical to increase counseling, testing and referral to begin to get a handle on this potentially deadly disease. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C therefore prevention is critical.”

You can call your Representative toll-free at 1-. You will get the Capitol switchboard. Ask to be connected to your Representative’s office.

Thanks for taking the time to make these important phone calls!

, Viral Hepatitis Program ManagerNational Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors444 North Capitol Street NW, Suite 339, Washington, DC 20001Phone: Fax:

ctaylor@... www.NASTAD.org

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