State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

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91_SR0273

 
                                               LRB9112737CBcb

 1                          SENATE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, The United States Food and  Drug  Administration
 3    has  ordered that any medical device containing latex carry a
 4    warning about potential allergic reactions; and

 5        WHEREAS, The National Institute  of  Occupational  Safety
 6    and   Health   issued   an  alert  requesting  assistance  in
 7    preventing allergic reactions to natural rubber  latex  among
 8    workers  who  use gloves and other products containing latex;
 9    and

10        WHEREAS, The Food and Drug  Administration  issued  final
11    rules  that  went  into  effect September 30, 1998, requiring
12    labeling statements concerning the presence of natural rubber
13    latex in medical devices; and

14        WHEREAS, Latex gloves have been used as  a  tool  in  the
15    health  care  industry  by health care workers to prevent the
16    transmission of many infectious diseases; latex  is  used  in
17    emergency  equipment,  personal  protective equipment, office
18    supplies, and hospital and household supplies; and

19        WHEREAS, Latex is also used in other industries, such  as
20    child care, food service, and food processing; and

21        WHEREAS,  With  its  growing use, there is more awareness
22    that latex  and  latex-containing  products  may  trigger  an
23    allergic  reaction; allergic reaction to latex comes in three
24    types:  irritant   contact   dermatitis,   allergic   contact
25    dermatitis, and latex allergy; and

26        WHEREAS,  Reactions  to  latex  may  include skin rashes,
27    hives, itching, swollen red skin, swollen  lips  and  tongue,
28    shortness  of  breath,  dizziness,  fainting,  eye  or  synus
29    symptoms,  asthma,  rapid heart rate, and, on rare occasions,
30    shock; and
 
                            -2-                LRB9112737CBcb
 1        WHEREAS, The most severe cases can result in severe blood
 2    pressure drop and loss of consciousness; and

 3        WHEREAS, Latex allergy develops most commonly  in  people
 4    who  have  frequent  or intimate exposure to it; at high risk
 5    are  those  who  have  had  frequent   surgical   procedures,
 6    particularly   in  infancy,  and  workers  with  occupational
 7    exposure; and

 8        WHEREAS, The number of health  care  workers  and  others
 9    affected  will continue to increase because frequent exposure
10    to latex causes the development of the allergy; and

11        WHEREAS, The need to  protect  the  residents,  including
12    health  care  workers,  against  latex  allergies is a public
13    health issue  and  awareness  of  the  public  health  threat
14    through  education is the key to prevention of latex allergic
15    reactions; therefore, be it

16        RESOLVED, BY  THE  SENATE  OF  THE  NINETY-FIRST  GENERAL
17    ASSEMBLY  OF  THE  STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the United
18    States Congress to proclaim the week of October 1 through  7,
19    2000  as  "Latex Allergy Awareness Week" in an effort to urge
20    all citizens to become educated about latex allergies; and be
21    it further

22        RESOLVED, That a suitable  copy  of  this  resolution  be
23    forwarded  to  the President pro tempore of the United States
24    Senate,  the  Speaker  of  the   United   States   House   of
25    Representatives,   and   to   each  member  of  the  Illinois
26    congressional delegation.

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