Section 20-15-1402 - Legislative findingsIt is found and determined by the General Assembly that:
(1) Osteoporosis, a bone-thinning disease, is a major public health problem that poses a threat to the health and quality of life of as many as twenty-five million (25,000,000) Americans;(2) The annual direct and indirect costs of osteoporosis to the healthcare system are estimated to be as high as eighteen billion dollars ($18,000,000,000) in 1993 and are expected to rise above sixty billion dollars ($60,000,000,000) in the year 2020;(3) Since osteoporosis progresses silently and currently has no cure, prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment are keys to reducing the prevalence of devastation from this disease;(4) Experts in the field of osteoporosis believe that with greater awareness of the value of prevention among medical experts, service providers, and the public, osteoporosis will be preventable and treatable in the future, thereby reducing the costs of long-term care and improving the quality of life for all Americans; and(5) Educating the public and the healthcare community throughout the State of Arkansas about this potentially devastating disease is of paramount importance and is in every respect in the public interest and to the benefit of all Arkansans.