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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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CONTACT: Nicole
Reigelman |
State Rep. Mark Cohen |
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Cohen introduces bill to monitor and investigate Pa. illness clusters
HARRISBURG, March 29 -- Concerned by the recent cancer investigations at Susquehanna University, and other similar illness investigations, state Rep. Mark Cohen, D-Phila., has introduced legislation that would create an Illness Monitoring and Investigation Unit within the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
Cohen said the unit would work in coordination with the state Department of Environmental Protection and other state agencies when investigating increased incidences of illnesses in Pennsylvania.
“The Health Department currently collects data on health issues, but it is not proactive in conducting its own research into potential external causes of illnesses,” Cohen said. “The wellness of our residents depends on the Department of Health being able to connect the dots with other state agencies to determine the root causes of the illness clusters.
“The current Selinsgrove and Susquehanna University media investigation is a prime example of where a unit like this would be extremely useful.”
Cohen said residents’ health would be better safeguarded if the government took a proactive approach in looking at illnesses with high incidence levels, and examining potential external causes like contamination, pollution or other preventable sources.
The Health Department should take the lead in such investigations and be reporting to the media and the public, not the reverse, Cohen said.
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