The Senate Health Committee unanimously approved a bill Tuesday to create a cancer registry.
The committee passed two amendments to the bill and sent it on to the Rules Committee, which is the final stop before consideration by the full Senate.
The legislation was prompted by information showing that cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the Virgin Islands.
The measure would require that all cases of cancer either treated or diagnosed in the territory be reported to the Health Department. In turn the Health Department would be required to keep complete records of the data.
Noreen Michael, director of health statistics, said at the hearing, "The health status indicator clearly points to the need for more aggressive efforts to address the incidence and prevalence of cancer in the territory," the V.I. Independent story reported. "As we move toward the 21st century, cancer should no longer be a death sentence."
Darlene Carty-Petty, project director for the Health Department's Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, said, "The time and conditions are optimal to establish a cancer registry in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It will allow us to extend, both in scope and depth, the work initiated by the V.I. Cancer Coalition."
The two amendments added to the bill involved the handling of penalties related to the legislation.