You can write
your Congressman
and request more funding for research into Alternative
cures for Hepatis C
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As my representative you ought to know hepatitis
C is being called a "silent epidemic" by former
surgeon general Everett Koop, MD.
It is estimated that as many as 4 to 5 million
Americans are infected. The death rate due to complications
from this disease is expected to quadruple in the next
10 years.
I am writing to you because more government
research funding is needed.
A study presented at the American Association
for the Study of Liver Diseases meeting on Tuesday November
9, 1999 concluded that long-term damage from hepatitis
C infections may cost the U.S. economy more than $81 billion
by 2019.
The study, by researchers from the New England
Medical Center and Tufts University School of Medicine,
looked at what costs can be expected in the ten years
from 2010 to 2019 as a result of the long-term effects
of hepatitis C infections.
The study used a computer model to estimate
the level of disease and death expected in the period
2010-2019 from existing and future infections. It found
that the medical costs of treating such liver damage as
cirrhosis and cancer would total at least $10.3 billion
in those ten years.
Most people infected by the virus do not
notice any symptoms until serious liver damage starts
20 years or so later, although testing can detect the
infection and lead to early treatment.
Productivity lost to the work force from
hepatitis C complications and death would equal another
$71.5 billion, the researchers, led by Dr John Wong, said.
"Our results suggest that hepatitis
C will be an awakening health issue that should be addressed
now," Wong said in his paper.
There is no approved cure and current approved
treatment has an inadequate success rate (while often
causing debilitating side effects). And, yet, government
funding for research falls far behind that of other, less
widespread diseases such as HIV/AIDS.
I am requesting that you investigate this
important area of public health and sponsor or co-sponsor
legislation to allocate more funds to Hepatitis C treatment
research.
Thank you for your attention and consideration
in regard to this serious issue.
Sincerely,
