A week before Joe Biden announced Kamala Harris [1] as his running mate, Harris introduced the Uterine Fibroid Research and Education Act, a bill that will help push research and education surrounding uterine fibroids to the forefront, helping women get the critical information and care they need.
"Millions of women across the country are affected by uterine fibroids, which can present serious health complications [2]," Harris said in a press release. "Complications from uterine fibroids can lead to maternal mortality and morbidity, an ongoing crisis especially for Black women," she continued. The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives by Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, who stated: "This bill is an important first step towards making women's healthcare a priority."
Uterine fibroids are one of the most common gynecological conditions, yet there is a lack of awareness, education, and prioritisation about uterine fibroids, which the introduction of the legistlation will hopefully change. In the US, it's estimated that 26 million women between the ages of 15 and 50 have uterine fibroids [3], and more than 15 million of them will experience associated symptoms or health concerns, according to a 2017 evidence summary. For more information on what the legislation entails, continue reading.
A Closer Look at the Uterine Fibroid Research and Education Act
- Provide $30 million anually for FY21-FY25 (fiscal year 2021 to fiscal year 2025) to the National Institutes of Health to expand research on uterine fibroids.
- Direct the Centres for Medicare and Medicaid Services to expand the Chronic Conditions Warehouse research database to include data on the services provided to women who experience symptoms of uterine fibroids.
- Create a uterine fibroids public education program through the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention to disseminate information on the incidence and prevalence of uterine fibroids among women, including the elevated risks for women of colour, and the available treatment options.
- Direct the Health Resources and Service Administration, in consultation with medical societies, to develop and disseminate information regarding uterine fibroids to health care providers, including the elevated risk for women of colour to develop uterine fibroids and the available treatment options.