HOUSE RESOLUTION 9

(By Delegates Ellington, Summers, Upson, Householder, Ihle, Espinosa, Hill, Stansbury, Campbell, Perdue, Atkinson, Bates, Blair, Butler, Duke, Eldridge, Foster, Ireland, Manchin, Perry, Phillips, Skinner, R. Smith, Sobonya and Statler)

February 11, 2016

Recognizing March, 2016, as self-care month in West Virginia.

 Whereas, Self-care is a lifelong daily habit of healthy lifestyle choices, good hygiene practices, prevention of infection and illness, avoiding unhealthy choices, monitoring for signs and symptoms of changes in health, knowing when to consult a healthcare practioner and knowing when it is appropriate to self-treat conditions; and

Whereas, The United States Food and Drug Administration deems OTC medicines safe and effective for the self-care treatment of minor acute and chronic health conditions and symptoms such as pain, the common cold, allergies and other conditions that impact large segments of the population; and

Whereas, Over-the-counter medicines are either developed as new nonprescription medicines or switched from existing prescription medicines; and

Whereas, Over-the-counter nonprescription medicines are self-care products that consumers purchase in pharmacies, supermarkets, retail stores and online; and

Whereas, Every dollar spent on over-the-counter medicines saves the United States healthcare system $6-7 dollars and the availability of over-the-counter medicines provides $102 billion in value annually; and

Whereas, Nonprescription medicines help to ease the burden on healthcare practioners, eliminating unnecessary medical examinations that could be avoided with appropriate self-care; and

Whereas,  West Virginia benefits when its citizens practice appropriate seif-care; do not unnecessarily visit healthcare practitioners and are empowered by higher self-esteem, improved health, and reduced use of health care services; and

Whereas,  West Virginia encourages its citizens to take advantage of self-care's potential to improve personal and public health, save personal and public treasury and strengthen the sustainability of the West Virginia health care system; and

Whereas, Achieving self-care's potential is a shared opportunity for consumers, healthcare practitioners, policymakers and regulators; therefore, be it

 Resolved by the House of Delegates:

That the House of Delegates: (1) Recognizes the importance of improving awareness of self-care and the value it represents to the citizens of West Virginia; (2) Supports increased consumer empowerment through the development of new nonprescription medicines and the appropriate switch of certain prescription medicines to nonprescription; (3) Acknowledges that over-the-counter medicines can greatly improve and reduce costs to the public health system; (4) Encourages consumers, healthcare practitioners, policymakers and regulators to communicate the benefits of self-care; and (5) Recognizes February 2016 as Self-Care Month in West Virginia.