STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2376

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2049

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2049 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CANCER RESEARCH,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to the University of Hawaii Cancer Center to determine why Hawaii has the highest incidence in the country of liver and bile duct cancer.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, and fifteen individuals.

Your Committees find that Hawaii has had the highest or second highest rate of liver and bile duct cancer in the nation in recent years. Your Committees find that Hawaii faces one hundred eighty-four new cases of liver and bile duct cancer each year, which is double the national average rate, even as rates of other cancers continue to decline.

Your Committees find that the primary risk factors for liver and bile duct cancer include hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and heavy alcohol consumption. However, your Committees also find that prevalence of these factors in Hawaii is near the national average. Your Committees find that other known risk factors include aflatoxin ingestion and liver fluke infection, but that there is no data on the prevalence of these risk factors in Hawaii, making it impossible to say if they are causing the increased rate in liver and bile duct cancer.

Your Committees find that liver and bile duct cancer takes a long time to develop but is nearly always fatal, making prevention through avoidance of risk factors especially important.

Your Committees find that the University of Hawaii Cancer Center is preparing to conduct a three-year study to examine other potential causes of liver and bile duct cancer, including aflatoxin ingestion, liver fluke infection, and potential ethnic correlations. Your Committees further find that funding this study will help prevent future cases of liver and bile duct cancer, saving lives and solving a local health mystery.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2049 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Higher Education,

________________________________ KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair

________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair