Lucille Roybal-Allard: “45,000 adult Americans die every year from infectious diseases that could have been prevented by a simple vaccination.…”

“45,000 adult Americans die every year from infectious diseases that could have been prevented by a simple vaccination. Tragically, 40 percent of adults in our country are underimmunized for preventable diseases such as influenza and hepatitis B. The consequences are unnecessary pain, suffering, and loss of life at a cost of more than $10 billion a year to society. To address this tragedy, I am introducing the THRIVE Act of 2005 with the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Wicker) as part of National Immunization Month. The THRIVE Act authorizes CDC to develop immunization guidelines and increase patient outreach and provider outreach. It directs the Secretary of HHS to launch a national media campaign about the value of adult immunizations, and it establishes a pilot project to distribute influenza vaccine for uninsured, at-risk adults. The THRIVE Act of 2005 is a critical step towards reducing vaccine- preventable deaths in our country, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill. ____________________”