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Regular Session, 2012
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 163
BY REPRESENTATIVE HOFFMANN
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON
To urge and request the Department of Public Safety and Corrections to study the feasibility
and effectiveness of establishing a procedure for allowing persons under the custody
of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections to participate in bone marrow
testing and for creating incentives to encourage participation.
WHEREAS, bone marrow transplantation is a relatively new medical procedure
being used to treat diseases once thought incurable. Since its first successful use in 1968,
bone marrow transplants have been used to treat patients diagnosed with leukemia, aplastic
anemia, lymphomas such as Hodgkin's disease, multiple myeloma, immune deficiency
disorders, and some solid tumors such as breast and ovarian cancer; and
WHEREAS, the first step in a successful bone marrow transplant procedure is to
locate a donor whose blood cells closely match that of the patient, which is done by tissue
typing prospective donors; and
WHEREAS, a patient's siblings each have a twenty-five percent chance of being a
tissue type match, less commonly, a parent may match the patient; and
WHEREAS, if a related donor is not available, then a search for a compatible,
unrelated donor is performed through the National Marrow Donor Program; and
WHEREAS, finding bone marrow donor matches is critical for saving lives and
providing effective treatment for patients who may have no other treatment options; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Safety and Corrections is charged with
housing many individuals who may want to participate in the National Bone Marrow
Program; and
WHEREAS, those individuals provide additional opportunities for finding matches
with patients who were otherwise unsuccessful in finding compatible donors; and ENROLLEDHCR NO. 163
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WHEREAS, incentives to encourage participation in the National Bone Marrow
Program may be utilized to benefit both the patient and the donor.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
urge and request the Department of Public Safety and Corrections to study the feasibility and
effectiveness of establishing a procedure for allowing persons under the custody of the
Department of Public Safety and Corrections to participate in bone marrow testing and for
creating incentives to encourage participation.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Public Safety and Corrections
work in conjunction with the Department of Health and Hospitals and any other entities or
individuals it deems necessary to conduct this study.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Public Safety and Corrections
shall provide a written report of its findings to the Legislature of Louisiana on or before
February 1, 2013.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI VES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE