Bill Declaring 4th Week Of September As ‘National Thyroid Cancer Awareness Week’ Awaits President Aquino’s Signature

The goal of lawmakers to heighten public consciousness and awareness about thyroid cancer disease may soon be fulfilled as their proposal to declare the fourth week of September every year as the “National Thyroid Cancer Awareness Week” is now awaiting the signature of President Aquino to become a law.

The House of Representatives approved on third and final reading the proposal embodied in House Bill 5307 on February 3, 2016. The Senate also supported HB 5307 by passing it without amendments on January 25, 2016.

The measure substituted HB 4463 authored by Rep. Mariano Michael M. Velarde Jr. (Party-list, Buhay) and HB 4657 by Rep. Eufranio C. Eriguel, M.D. (2nd District, La Union).

Velarde said Department of Health (DOH) data showed that thyroid cancer is the sixth leading cancer in the country as of 2010, and almost 95 percent of thyroid cases in the Philippines are well differentiated carcinoma and highly curable by appropriate surgery alone.

However, radioactive iodine is the main mode of treatment for persistent or metastatic lesions, according to him.

“Patients affected by this kind of cancer, if not given the needed treatment like surgery and radioactive iodine, live with constant fear of death like found with other cancer patients. Hence, there should be a national information campaign to include local health agencies and clinics, physicians, health care facilities, pharmacies, libraries, senior citizens, and other community-based outreach programs and organizations to instill awareness among the public about thyroid cancer disease, and to generate full support for the special needs of thyroid cancer survivors affected by the disease from both public and private sectors,” said Velarde.

Eriguel, Chairman of the House Committee on Health, which endorsed the plenary approval of the bill, said the Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, a non-profit organization based in the United States with support groups worldwide, including the Philippines, has been celebrating the “Thyroid Cancer Awareness Week” in September since 2000.

“In 2003, the organization expanded this worldwide observance to the whole month of September. This celebration is participated in by 56 countries, including the Philippines. Hence, this humble representation would like to establish one week in September as National Thyroid Cancer Awareness Week in the country for public education and awareness about the disease,” said Eriguel.

House Bill 5307 seeks to declare the fourth week of September of every year as the “National Thyroid Cancer Awareness Week” in order to coincide with the “International Celebration of Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month.”

The bill declares it is the State policy to protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them through public education and awareness programs.

To ensure a meaningful observance of the week as herein declared, a comprehensive public education and awareness program shall be undertaken to discuss the causes, consequences, diagnoses, treatments and prevention of thyroid cancer.

The Department of Health (DOH), in coordination with the Thyroid Council of the Philippines (TCP), non-government and patients’ organizations, shall lead in the implementation of programs and activities for purposes of commemorating this health event. (PNA) FFC/PR/EBP