Sponsored by:
Senator ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT
District 31 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes multiple sclerosis public awareness campaign.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing a public awareness campaign on multiple sclerosis and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statues.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease in which myelin, the protective insulation surrounding nerve fibers, is damaged and replaced by scars of hardened sclerotic tissue.
b. Although not all symptoms affect all MS patients, and the course of the disease varies greatly from person to person, common symptoms of MS include fatigue, weakness, spasticity, balance problems, bladder and bowel problems, numbness, vision loss, tremors and depression.
c. It is estimated that one million people in the United States have been diagnosed with MS, and approximately three million individuals live with the disease worldwide.
d. MS is more common in women than in men, and is most commonly diagnosed in individuals between the ages of 20 and 50, but it can develop in young children, teens, and older adults.
e. Most individuals with MS have a normal or near normal life expectancy; however, many individuals with MS require mobility aids because of fatigue, weakness, or balance problems, or to assist with conserving energy.
f. Even though the exact cause of MS is still unknown and there is no cure for MS, many therapeutic and technological advances now help individuals manage their symptoms, and medications can slow the underlying course of MS.
g. Given all the health risks associated with MS and the rising prevalence of the disease in the United States and throughout the world, it is appropriate for the State of New Jersey to establish a public awareness campaign to promote an understanding of the scope of MS and provide information on how the disease can impact an individual's quality of life.
2. a. There is established a multiple sclerosis (MS) public awareness campaign in the Department of Health in order to promote among the citizens of the State an understanding of MS, including its causes and health effects, and to deliver information on how the disease can impact an individuals quality of life.
The public awareness campaign may provide for the development of print and electronic media in languages including, but not limited to, English and Spanish.
b. The public awareness campaign shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1) a comprehensive description of MS, including a discussion of causes, symptoms, and treatment options;
(2) information about educational resources available to, and research being conducted to develop effective therapies and find a cure for, those with MS; and
(3) materials on how MS can impact an individual's quality of life and ways in which those with MS can maintain the best health possible, live well with the disease, and make educated decisions about their health care.
c. The department shall make available to the public, electronically on its website, information about MS, informational literature concerning the signs, causes, health effects of the disease, and any other information that the department deems to be necessary. This information may be revised by the department whenever new information about MS becomes available.
3. The Department of Health shall, in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt any rules and regulations as the department deems necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
4. This act shall take effect on the 30th day following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes a multiple sclerosis public awareness campaign in the Department of Health (DOH) in order to promote among the citizens of the State an understanding of MS, including its causes and health effects, and to deliver information on how the disease can impact an individuals quality of life. The campaign may provide for the development of print and electronic media in languages including, but not limited to, English and Spanish.
The public awareness campaign is to include, but not be limited to: (1) a comprehensive description of MS, including a discussion of causes, symptoms, and treatment options; (2) information about educational resources available to, and research being conducted to develop effective therapies and find a cure for, those with MS; and (3) materials on how MS can impact an individual's quality of life and ways in which those with MS can maintain the best health possible, live well with the disease, and make educated decisions about their health care.
The DOH is to make available to the public information about MS, informational literature concerning the signs, causes, health effects of the disease, and any other information that the department deems to be necessary, and the information may be revised whenever new information about MS becomes available.