US To Raise Public Awareness About Hepatitis C
August 24, 2000
WASHINGTON (Reuters Health) - The US Department of Health and Human
Services' (HHS) Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability voted in favor of the Surgeon General's effort to make the American public aware of the
risks of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection at a meeting on Thursday.
Eleven committee members voted in favor of supporting "the Surgeon
General's effort to inform the public of the risks of Hepatitis C virus infection
and transmission." Two committee members abstained.
The committee recommended that the budget for the fiscal year 2001 include
funds in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) budget for
informing the public about the risks of HCV, including the sending of a
'Dear
Citizen' letter to the American public by March 30, 2001.
Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher has previously said he intends to send
out
a 'Dear Citizen' letter regarding HCV, but Executive Secretary to the
committee Dr. Stephen D. Nightingale said the mailing of the letter had
been
stalled because analysis had shown that it would cost about $30 million.
But he noted that the letter had already been sent to every member of Congress
as well as posted on the Surgeon General's website and the CDC's website.
Chair of the committee, Dr. Arthur Caplan of the University of
Pennsylvania,
questioned whether Congress has seriously considered the Hepatitis C
issue,
saying "I find it surprising that the cost to send out a letter is more
than the CDC's hepatitis office budget."
Instead of a letter, the money might be better spent by placing a public
service announcement on television during high-profile events, such as the
Superbowl, suggested committee member Dr. Jane A. Piliavin of the
University
of Wisconsin-Madison. "A spot there only costs $500,000," she said. "That
is much less than $30 million."
A television commercial at key locations "would reach more people with
more
effect" than a letter, Dr. Piliavin said.
Dr. Caplan agreed with her, saying, "I don't think a letter is going to
get us where we want to be."
Commenting on the impact of the committee's recommendation, Dr Nightingale
said "Something that comes from the committee, especially a strongly worded
statement" would get a better response from Congress than a plea from the
Surgeon General's office.
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