“New Laws!” NH Lawmaker Seeks Amendment To Exclude Multi-Cancer Screening from Firefighter Legislation

CONCORD, New Hampshire — One lawmaker is debating whether a state-of-the-art test is the best choice for firefighters and taxpayers as the New Hampshire House examines a bill to offer cancer screenings for firemen.

One of the risks firefighters confront as they risk their lives daily is an elevated chance of cancer.

Legislation allocating $5 million for a new two-year cancer screening program was approved by the New Hampshire Senate this year with the goals of detecting the disease early, saving lives, and reducing medical expenses.

According to Boston Fire Department physician Dr. Michael Hamrock, “There’s a good chance you can develop cancer just from the nature of your job.” For this reason, early detection screening procedures are essential for firefighters.

Firefighters agreed to cut skin cancer off the screening bill to save money at a hearing with the House Finance Committee on Tuesday.

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However, state representative Erica Layon, a Democrat from Derry, expressed her desire to go further and proposed an amendment to strike the bill’s section on multi-cancer blood screening. She pointed up issues with the test and the firm that manufactures it.

“There’s a huge amount of uncertainty as to what the cost of regulatory approval would be and whether or not the company would be able to be viable as an ongoing company by the time that this pilot program exists,” she stated.