Kearney, Niehaus Introduce Breast Health Legislation

Today, Senate Minority Leader Eric H. Kearney (D-Cincinnati) and President Tom Niehaus (R- New Richmond) introduced key health legislation to provide Ohio women with additional information when undergoing breast exams.  

Senate Bill 392 will require physicians to inform women of their breast density and possible risks following a mammogram. Breast density is a measure used to describe the proportion of the different tissues that make up a woman’s breasts.

According to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, women with high breast density are four to five times more likely to get breast cancer than women with low breast density.

“I introduced this legislation because it provides another preventative tool for women in the war against breast cancer,” said Senator Kearney. “Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States. By having this additional information, women will be able to make proactive choices in managing their health.”

If passed, Ohio would be the sixth state to implement a law requiring disclosure to patients following Connecticut, Texas, Virginia, California and New York. Federal legislation has also been introduced in the U.S. House.

"I am pleased to join Senator Kearney in this effort to help women become more aware of those factors that might help with early detection of breast cancer," Senator Niehaus said. 

Connecticut was the first state to institute the regulation in 2009 after Nancy Cappello lobbied state legislators following the discovery of cancer that her mammogram screening missed.