PUBLIC LAW 105-168—APR. 21, 1998 112 STAT. 43 Public Law 105-168 105th Congress An Act To provide surveillance, research, and services aimed at prevention of birth defects, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; FINDINGS. (a) SHORT TITLE. —This Act may be cited as the "Birth Defects Prevention Act of 1998". (b) FINDINGS. —Congress msikes the following findings: (1) Birth defects are the leading cause of infant mortality, directly responsible for one out of every five infant deaths. (2) Thousands of the 150,000 infants born with a serious birth defect annually face a lifetime of chronic disability and illness. (3) Birth defects threaten the lives of infants of all racial and ethnic backgrounds. However, some conditions pose excess risks for certain populations. For example, compared to all infants born in the United States, Hispanic-American infants are more likely to be born with anencephaly spina bifida sind other neural tube defects and African-American infants are more likely to be born with sickle-cell anemia. (4) Birth defects can be caused by exposure to environmental hazards, adverse health conditions during pregnsincy, or genetic mutations. Prevention efforts are slowed by lack of information about the number and causes of birth defects. Outbreaks of birth defects may go undetected because surveillance and research efforts are underdeveloped and poorly coordinated. (5) Public awareness strategies, such as programs using folic acid vitamin supplements to prevent spina bifida and alcohol avoidance programs to prevent Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, are essential to prevent the heartache and costs associated with birth defects. SEC. 2. PROGRAMS REGARDING BIRTH DEFECTS. Section 317C of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247b- 4) is amended to read as follows: "P ROGRAMS REGARDING BIRTH DEFECTS "SEC 317C. (a) IN GENERAL.— The Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall carry out programs— "(1) to collect, analyze, and make available data on birth defects (in a manner that facilitates compliance with subsection Apr. 21, 1998 [S. 419] Birth Defects Prevention Act of 1998. 42 USC 201 note. 42 USC 247b-4 note.
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