Mary Jo Lawyer Spano Mesothelioma Patient Registry Act of 2017
Latest action (16 Mar 2017): Introduced
What this bill does
H.R. 1563, the Mary Jo Lawyer Spano Mesothelioma Patient Registry Act of 2017, would amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, to create a national patient registry for mesothelioma, a rare cancer often linked to asbestos exposure. The registry would track the disease's incidence and prevalence, collect data on patient demographics, risk factors, treatment outcomes, and hospital-level treatment numbers, and support further research. Non-identifying information would be made public, and data would be shared with other federal agencies such as the NIH, FDA, CMS, the VA, and the Department of Defense, subject to HIPAA-level privacy protections.
The bill would primarily affect patients diagnosed with mesothelioma, researchers, clinicians, public health agencies, and federal health officials responsible for building and maintaining the registry. It requires HHS to consult outside experts, including epidemiologists, clinicians, and patient advocacy groups, and to report to Congress within 18 months on the registry's findings and scope, with a follow-up report after four years on its implementation and use.
The bill was introduced on March 16, 2017, by Rep. John Katko with bipartisan cosponsors and referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. It did not receive a vote and did not become law during the 115th Congress.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Mary Jo Lawyer Spano Mesothelioma Patient Registry Act of 2017
This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry to develop a patient registry to collect data on mesothelioma.
The agency must use the registry to:
• enhance and expand infrastructure and activities for tracking the epidemiology of mesothelioma patients;
• collect, consolidate, and report on health information on mesothelioma patients;
• describe the incidence and prevalence of mesothelioma in the United States;
• facilitate research on mesothelioma;
• examine factors that may be associated with mesothelioma;
Common questions
- What does H.R. 1563 do?
- H.R. 1563, the Mary Jo Lawyer Spano Mesothelioma Patient Registry Act of 2017, would amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, to create a national patient registry for mesothelioma, a rare cancer often linked to asbestos exposure. The registry would track the disease's incidence and prevalence, collect data on patient demographics, risk factors, treatment outcomes, and hospital-level treatment numbers, and support further research. Non-identifying information would be made public, and data would be shared with other federal agencies such as the NIH, FDA, CMS, the VA, and the Department of Defense, subject to HIPAA-level privacy protections. The bill would primarily affect patients diagnosed with mesothelioma, researchers, clinicians, public health agencies, and federal health officials responsible for building and maintaining the registry. It requires HHS to consult outside experts, including epidemiologists, clinicians, and patient advocacy groups, and to report to Congress within 18 months on the registry's findings and scope, with a follow-up report after four years on its implementation and use. The bill was introduced on March 16, 2017, by Rep. John Katko with bipartisan cosponsors and referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. It did not receive a vote and did not become law during the 115th Congress.
- Has H.R. 1563 become law?
- Not yet. As of 16 Mar 2017, H.R. 1563 is introduced.
- Who sponsored H.R. 1563?
- H.R. 1563 was sponsored by Rep. John Katko [R-NY24, 2015-2022] (Republican-NY), with 69 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 1563?
- Introduced (16 Mar 2017).
Related bills in Health
Expressing support for the designation of September 22, 2026, as “National Hispanic Nurses Day” and recognizing the National Association of Hispanic Nurses as the leading organization representing and advocating for Hispanic nurses.
Recognizing the importance of protecting continuous Medicaid coverage for individuals undergoing active cancer treatment.
Wildland Firefighter Health and Safety Act
Expressing support for the designation of the third week of September as “Fungal Disease Awareness Week” and encouraging efforts to improve awareness, diagnosis, treatment, surveillance, and prevention of fungal diseases in the United States.
Bill100 mirrors the public U.S. legislative record from Congress.gov and GovTrack and adds plain-English AI summaries. It is an information tool, not legal, compliance or lobbying advice, and it is not affiliated with the U.S. Congress or any government agency. AI summaries can simplify or omit detail — every bill links to the official source; verify there before you rely on it.