Bookmarkers beware: Bookmarks to pages other than the home page may not work after we change our server in April Editor's Choice | This Week in BMJ | Press releases BMJ No 7129 Volume 316 News Saturday 7 February 1998 Health features prominently in the State of the Union address President Clinton, in his annual state of the union address last week, called on Congress to support several healthcare reforms. He urged Congress to pass a new "bill of rights" to protect consumers of health care. Among the provisions it called for were the rights for patients to be informed about all possible methods of treatment, irrespective of cost, and the rights for patients to be able to choose their doctors. Noting how rapidly technology had advanced the discovery of genes for diseases, the president also proposed what he called a "gift" to the next millennium - a 21st century research fund "for pathbreaking scientific inquiry." Funding would be awarded to the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the National Cancer Institute. President Clinton called it the "largest funding increase in history" but did not give any figures. President Clinton said that measures must be taken to prevent using technology such as genetic testing in ways that adversely affect people, and he called again for a ban on human cloning. The president also asked Congress to expand Medicare to include people aged 55 to 65 who had lost their insurance benefits and to broaden the Family and Medical Leave Act to grant parents leave from work for their children's medical appointments. Currently the act allows parents time from work to care for sick children or other family members. President Clinton also called for environmental measures that he said would have a positive impact on health. Earlier this year, he passed tighter regulations to the Clean Air Act, and in his address he called for a "clean water" initiative - an effort to clean rivers, lakes, and streams. He also proposed $6bn (£3.75bn) in tax cuts to encourage business and industry to reduce global warming through the production of cleaner factories and fuel efficient cars. Calling smoking the "gravest health threat" that children face, the president urged Congress to pass legislation to "change the way tobacco companies do business." He called for an increase of $1.50 on a pack of cigarettes, as well as fines and taxes on the companies if they do not reduce rates of smoking among teenagers. Terri Rutter Boston Home | Current issue | Past issues | Classified ads | Career Focus | Feedback Collections | About this site | About the BMJ | BMA | Medline