Title: An act relating to the joint select committee on sickle cell disease.

Brief Description: Creating the joint select committee on sickle cell disease.

Sponsors: Senators Franklin, Pflug, Keiser, Kastama, Regala, Kohl-Welles, Prentice, Murray and Kline.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Health & Long-Term Care: 1/23/08, 1/28/08 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & LONG-TERM CARE

Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by Senators Keiser, Chair; Franklin, Vice Chair; Pflug, Ranking Minority Member; Carrell, Fairley, Kastama, Kohl-Welles, Marr and Parlette.

Staff: Rhoda Donkin (786-7465)

Background: Sickle cell disease is a lifelong hereditary red blood cell disorder that predominantly affects African-American individuals. The disease can cause a lifetime of pain and extensive medical interventions. While there is no cure for sickle cell disease, it is recognized that better education, diagnosis, and treatment can reduce its serious consequences.

Summary of Bill: The Joint Select Committee on Sickle Cell Disease is created. The committee will review current practices for screening, treatment, and education of the disease and make recommendations to the Legislature by December 1, 2008.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: Sickle cell afflicts many adults and there is far less support for them than there is for children. We need to understand better ways to inform the communities about how to manage problems associated with the disease. There needs to be better insurance coverage for the medical treatments. Over the last 10 years, new treatments have come along that people are not able to access.

Persons Testifying: PRO: Ken West, Metropolitan Seattle Sickle Cell Taskforce; Phil Watkins, Don Stecher, Novartis.