Breast Cancer Screening Notification Requirement Becomes Effective
Photo: Rep. Karen Reddington-Hughes prepares to speak. She is welcomed by Donna Johnson (President, Board of Directors – Are You Dense? Inc.)
Hartford – On Tuesday, September 10th, State Rep. Karen Reddington-Hughes (R-Woodbury) participated in a kick-off event at the Legislative Office Building in recognition of a newly approved breast tissue density screening notification requirement. The implementation of this federal law will empower women with greater information about their health, allowing them to make informed decisions based on the screening results. The event was hosted by Are You Dense? Inc., an organization founded with the intent to expand notification and patient information on early signs of breast cancer.
“Early detection is key. Today is a big day in marking the legacy of Dr. Nancy Cappello’s life work, who founded Are You Dense? Inc., in ensuring women have access to breast cancer screening information – now, all 50 states have notification requirements. Connecticut was one of the first states to have mammography requirements due to Nancy’s early advocacy on the issue, it’s so critical that this information will now be available to every American woman,” said Reddington-Hughes, who is a member of the legislature’s Public Health Committee.
In 2023, federal legislation was approved to enact the requirement, which updates the mammography regulations that were issued under the Mammography Quality Standards Act of 1992. According to the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), the organization is modernizing and updating the regulations as well as improving the information, including breast density information, provided by mammography facilities to patients and their Healthcare providers. The updates become effective today.
“This law has an international precedent, because Nancy traveled all over the world to spread the message about breast density in Japan, Germany, Italy, and France,” said Joe Cappello, Nancy’s husband and Executive Director of Are You Dense? Inc. He went on to explain that these international communities have modeled notification requirements around the best practices that are now being implemented here in America.
In 2009, the Connecticut General Assembly became one of the first states to require a breast density notification. 14 years later, the entire country will now have the same standard of notifications. According to lawmakers and representatives of Are You Dense? Inc., more can always be done in terms of patient education and resource availability for testing.
You can learn more about breast density notifications, Nancy’s fight for patient empowerment, and more by visiting: www.areyoudense.org
###