Rep. TOM CAMPBELL (R-Roy)
2nd LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia office: 334 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600 Olympia, WA 98504-0600
Office: (360) 786-7912

For immediate release: Nov 15, 2007

Campbell applauds Governor’s initiative on MRSA

Olympia – Rep. Tom Campbell today applauded Gov. Chris Gregoire’s initiative to increase tracking of the drug-resistant staph infections known as MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). Gregoire yesterday directed the state Department of Health (DOH) to convene a panel of scientific experts to recommend a plan to monitor MRSA and what to do about it.

Campbell requested, in a letter to the governor last week, she use her ‘emergency powers’ to require DOH to list MRSA as a ‘reportable medical condition.’ “The issue is too important to wait until the legislature can take it up in January,” Campbell wrote.

Today, Campbell said he applauds the governor’s first step, “and I look forward to working with her and her office in the upcoming session to ensure safety of the people of Washington.”

He said he didn’t get all he had asked for with the governor’s first step, “but I believe this is a substantial and meaningful step that will begin to engage our public health agency on the necessary job of tracking and containing this potentially lethal infection.”

Campbell said he has drafted a bill to pre-file for the January 2008 session to make MRSA a reportable condition like is currently required in reporting a number of other health problems like the measles.           

Currently, the state doesn’t require doctors or other health-care professionals to document cases of MRSA as it does with other disease. “So, there’s no way for the public to have access to this information,” Campbell said.

Campbell (R-Roy) said he was pleased by the Governor’s letter to DOH. “Her actions were desperately needed and leadership at this time is very appreciated.”

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Contact: Rep. Tom Campbell at (360) 786-7912 or campbell.tom@leg.wa.gov