Advocacy group: Momentum for breast density legislation continues in 2016
A growing number of breast density notification bills are being introduced in state legislatures across the country, according to Are You Dense Advocacy, Inc., a patient advocacy group for the rights of women with dense breast tissue.
Oklahoma became the latest state to introduce breast density reporting legislation, the group said in a press release, joining nine other states with similar legislation pending. Twenty-four states have enacted breast density notification laws to date, including Connecticut, which was the first to do so in 2009.
“The disclosure of dense breast tissue allows patients the opportunity to discuss the masking and causal risks of dense breast tissue, along with other risks, with health care providers,” said Nancy Cappello, PhD, the group’s founder and director. “The intent of reporting legislation is to promote personalized decision-making about screening and breast health within the patient/doctor discourse.”
Nationwide efforts are also underway, the group said, as a breast density reporting bill introduced in February 2015 currently sits in both the Senate and the House.
What’s the law in your state? Click here to see the U.S. Breast Density Reporting map.