Policy Resolution HHS-20-02

WHEREAS, The National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) is interested in protecting and promoting the health and wellness of our citizens and recognizes the importance of shining a spotlight on certain health issues that affect women in particular;

WHEREAS, uterine fibroids are a disease of the female reproductive system;

WHEREAS, uterine fibroids are non-cancerous tumors that develop in the uterus which vary in size and quantity and have no known cause;

WHEREAS, uterine fibroids can cause heavy and prolonged menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain, anemia, bowel and bladder dysfunction, infertility, miscarriage, and early onset of labor;

WHEREAS, most women will develop uterine fibroids by age 50, with an estimated 80 percent of African American women and 70 percent of white women developing a uterine fibroid by age 50;

WHEREAS, uterine fibroids disproportionately affect African American women as they are more likely to develop uterine fibroids and experience more severe symptoms than women of other races;

WHEREAS, many women receive delayed diagnosis and treatment for uterine fibroids despite experiencing severe symptoms because they believe that what they are experiencing is normal;

WHEREAS, nearly half of women diagnosed with uterine fibroids report that they had no previous knowledge of the disease;

WHEREAS, hysterectomy, a major surgery to remove the uterus, is the most common treatment, with over 200,000 women in the U.S. that undergo hysterectomy to treat uterine fibroids each year;

WHEREAS, African American women are 2.4 times more likely to undergo a hysterectomy;

WHEREAS, the estimated annual societal burden of uterine fibroids in the US is estimated to be as much as $34.4 billion annually, including up to $9.4 billion in direct medical costs, including physician visits, hospital admissions and surgery, and up to $17.2 billion from lost work due to absenteeism and short-term disability in women age 25 to 54;

WHEREAS, women with uterine fibroids have additional treatment options that can help address related symptoms; and

WHEREAS, education is important for promoting awareness of symptoms, diagnosis, and best treatment options for patients with uterine fibroids.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) believes that women should have knowledge of and access to all treatment options for uterine fibroids;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL urges our legislators and federal partners to increase  awareness and expand educational campaigns for uterine fibroid across the nation;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL further urges that the state departments of health make online resources available with information on uterine fibroids including disease prevalence, symptoms, and treatment options;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL further urges the Congress to provide additional support for research and awareness of Uterine Fibroids at the National Institutes of Health; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, members of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and other federal and state government officials as appropriate.

• SPONSOR: Senator Gloria Butler (GA)
  
• Committee of Jurisdiction: Health and Human Services Policy Committee
  
• Certified by Committee Co-Chair: Representative David J. Mack, III (SC)
  
• Ratified in Plenary Session: Ratification Date is December 6, 2019
  
• Ratification is certified by: Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter (SC), President