Maybe this will be the year that will kick-start the repeat introduction of the Tubbs/Mikulski Bill: providing dollars for research and education with respect to uterine fibroids. Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous tumors that form within a woman’s uterine lining. It is estimated that 3 in every 4 American women have uterine fibroids, with 1 in 4 women seeking medical care (being symptomatic) for the condition. At this moment, hysterectomy is the most common treatment offered to women for this benign condition; accounting to over 600,000 surgeries a year–that is 17 billion dollars spent every year for female castration. The Uterine Fibroid Research and Education Act would double federal funding for uterine fibroid research, and fund a public education campaign pertaining to the condition. Senator Barbara Mikulski introduced companion legislation in the senate, but, never received a floor vote.

Alas, the door may be opening a bit towards the light of knowledge…in this new administration of “yes we can”, transparency and disclosure; our President Obama has injected a Stimulus Plan (science included)!! At the heart of this plan is the conviction that we are not getting our moneys-worth with respect to health care. The plans main agenda is to cut costs, in part through a proposed study(s), trying to discern which treatments really work…are the protocols that are in place now, truly the best for the patient, or have we routinely just prescribed the same-old same-old? Hysterectomies, for example as the only choice of treatment for uterine fibroids, is costly and in 99% of the cases completely unnecessary. Dollars will be spent for studies that will determine the effectiveness of expensive procedures versus that of lesser expensive ones. Perhaps the hesitation of the insurance companies ill-conceived notion that focused ultrasound is still too new for reimbersing a womens wish to preserve her uterus, will jostle their skewed thinking and start the ball rolling towards coverage. This administration is re-establishing science as our steering wheel and guide into the future, to permit real “good” choices that are well-informed and thoroughly studied. Truly, this is the beginning, this year, that fibroid awareness will be wholly inculcated in our everyday nomenclature–this will lead to informed choice..which will bring empowerment..which will certainly give way to contentment . Let’s stop whispering about fibroids..speak up, say it loud…we will be heard and there will be change….