Valerie
08-17-2003, 11:20 AM
Hepatitis C's Movement for Awareness
Hepatitis C Veterans Rally and Demonstration
September 5, 2003
Veterans Administration
810 Vermont Ave
Washington DC.
Purpose
On Sept. 5th the VA's Natl. HCV Community Advisory Board will meet at 923 16th ST & K ST NW . The St Regis Hotel. At 8:00 am Hepatitis C Veterans/Active Military & Dependents will gather in front of the Veterans Administration, 810 Vermont Ave.
We will demonstrate to the veterans administration that Hepatitis C Veterans/Active Military & Dependents will no longer be silent.
At 9:00 am marchers will proceed to the St. Regis Hotel for the meeting, where we will demonstrate to the VA the real transmission methods that existed and continue to exist today for HCV.
We will insist that these transmission methods be addressed and acknowledged by the VA.
We will insist the VA stop the spread of HCV and make aware all risks factors so informed decisions on testing can be made and lives can be saved.
We will show the VA that HCV is a "presumed" service connected disease and we are entitled to the promises made by the United States Government.
We will tell the VA the war is not over for us and many are still dying.
We will plead with the VA to become part of the solutions.
Agenda
8:00 am -Rally begins at the Veterans Administration, 810 Vermont Ave
9:00 am -March North on Vermont Ave NW toward I ST NW , Turn right onto 16th ST NW stopping at 923 16th ST & K ST NW . The St Regis Hotel
Return
3:30 pm -S 16TH ST NW, Left onto H ST NW, Left onto Vermont Ave Back to the Veterans Administration, 810 Vermont Ave. until 5:00 pm
H.R. 73, The Comprehensive Hepatitis C Health Care Act for Veterans was introduced on January 7, 2003. Introduction of legislation is to help veterans who may have Hepatitis C get better care and testing from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Unfortunately this bill does not include transmission methods military veterans were exposed to. In the past, other Veterans bills failed to pass Congress because the bills did include transmission methods and these methods were "key" arguing points between groups.
Because no transmission methods are defined in H73, Veterans will fall under the CDC National Hepatitis C prevention strategy plan's definition for transmission methods. The Veterans Administration denies Hepatitis C is a service related disease based on the following CDC statement. The CDC states:
"Most risk factors associated with transmission of HCV in the United States were identified in case-control studies conducted during 1978-1986. These risk factors included blood transfusion, injecting-drug use, employment in patient care or clinical laboratory work, exposure to a sex partner or household member who has had a history of hepatitis,sure to multiple sex partners, and low socioeconomic level. These studies reported no association with military service or exposures resulting from medical, surgical, or dental procedures, tattooing, acupuncture, ear piercing, or foreign travel. If transmission from such exposures does occur, the frequency might be too low to detect."[7]
If, this bill passes as currently proposed, Congress will allow Health and Human Services to implement the pre approved CDC Hepatitis C Prevention plan to put HCV into STD clinics, and only STD clinics.
We must make the VA publicly accountable, with a commitment that pre-universal precautions and the jet gun injectors used until 1997, are transmission modes for HCV and will be addressed.
It's time we take our lives back!
Here is a link to the report on the web that talks more about the mismanagement of HCV http://hcvets.com/SenateBill1143Summary.htm
http://hcvets.com/campaigns/2003/VA/Rally.asp sign up to speak
March on DC May 2004
Hepatitis C Veterans Rally and Demonstration
September 5, 2003
Veterans Administration
810 Vermont Ave
Washington DC.
Purpose
On Sept. 5th the VA's Natl. HCV Community Advisory Board will meet at 923 16th ST & K ST NW . The St Regis Hotel. At 8:00 am Hepatitis C Veterans/Active Military & Dependents will gather in front of the Veterans Administration, 810 Vermont Ave.
We will demonstrate to the veterans administration that Hepatitis C Veterans/Active Military & Dependents will no longer be silent.
At 9:00 am marchers will proceed to the St. Regis Hotel for the meeting, where we will demonstrate to the VA the real transmission methods that existed and continue to exist today for HCV.
We will insist that these transmission methods be addressed and acknowledged by the VA.
We will insist the VA stop the spread of HCV and make aware all risks factors so informed decisions on testing can be made and lives can be saved.
We will show the VA that HCV is a "presumed" service connected disease and we are entitled to the promises made by the United States Government.
We will tell the VA the war is not over for us and many are still dying.
We will plead with the VA to become part of the solutions.
Agenda
8:00 am -Rally begins at the Veterans Administration, 810 Vermont Ave
9:00 am -March North on Vermont Ave NW toward I ST NW , Turn right onto 16th ST NW stopping at 923 16th ST & K ST NW . The St Regis Hotel
Return
3:30 pm -S 16TH ST NW, Left onto H ST NW, Left onto Vermont Ave Back to the Veterans Administration, 810 Vermont Ave. until 5:00 pm
H.R. 73, The Comprehensive Hepatitis C Health Care Act for Veterans was introduced on January 7, 2003. Introduction of legislation is to help veterans who may have Hepatitis C get better care and testing from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Unfortunately this bill does not include transmission methods military veterans were exposed to. In the past, other Veterans bills failed to pass Congress because the bills did include transmission methods and these methods were "key" arguing points between groups.
Because no transmission methods are defined in H73, Veterans will fall under the CDC National Hepatitis C prevention strategy plan's definition for transmission methods. The Veterans Administration denies Hepatitis C is a service related disease based on the following CDC statement. The CDC states:
"Most risk factors associated with transmission of HCV in the United States were identified in case-control studies conducted during 1978-1986. These risk factors included blood transfusion, injecting-drug use, employment in patient care or clinical laboratory work, exposure to a sex partner or household member who has had a history of hepatitis,sure to multiple sex partners, and low socioeconomic level. These studies reported no association with military service or exposures resulting from medical, surgical, or dental procedures, tattooing, acupuncture, ear piercing, or foreign travel. If transmission from such exposures does occur, the frequency might be too low to detect."[7]
If, this bill passes as currently proposed, Congress will allow Health and Human Services to implement the pre approved CDC Hepatitis C Prevention plan to put HCV into STD clinics, and only STD clinics.
We must make the VA publicly accountable, with a commitment that pre-universal precautions and the jet gun injectors used until 1997, are transmission modes for HCV and will be addressed.
It's time we take our lives back!
Here is a link to the report on the web that talks more about the mismanagement of HCV http://hcvets.com/SenateBill1143Summary.htm
http://hcvets.com/campaigns/2003/VA/Rally.asp sign up to speak
March on DC May 2004