Gov. Gary Herber (R-Utah) has signed the Utah Breast Density Reporting Bill into law, mandating the reporting of dense tissue to patients as part of their mammography reporting results.
The bill was championed by Rep. LaVar Christensen (R) after hearing from constituents with story after story of later stage cancers discovered after years of normal mammography results.
Christensen reports, “Dense tissue clouds and makes mammogram results misleading. Women are not properly informed by their healthcare provider. A great forward and much needed step, under HB 258, for women’s health and cancer screening protections.”
Rep Christensen and Utah advocates contacted Are You Dense Inc. and Are You Dense Advocacy, Inc. founder Nancy Cappello, PhD, who provided scientific research and educational resources and also submitted written testimony.
“I am humbled that my stunning advanced stage breast cancer diagnosis in 2004, which inspired the first dense tissue reporting law in the country in Connecticut, has led to an avalanche of patients turned activists, harmed by lack of knowledge of the impact of their dense tissue on breast screening, to pursue screening justice through legislation,” says Cappello. “It is an honor to be called on to mentor and provide guidance to ensure that women of Utah receive this critical risk and masking information as part of their mammography results. ”
Washington, Florida, and Wisconsin are awaiting signatures from their governors.
