In an about-face of a decision made last year, Calif. Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill last weekend that would require women with dense breast tissue receiving mammograms to be informed of the fact and to be told about the potential risks associated with denser breast tissue, as well as the types of screening options available to better cater to them.

For Brown, it wasn't a total waffle, as he supported the spirit of the bill when it originally came before him last year, but had a concern about the particulars of the wording. This time around, the bill, authored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) struck the right chord with Brown and received his backing.

"A recent Harris Interactive survey found that 95 percent of women do not know their breast density even though it is a risk factor," JoAnn Pushkin, executive director of Are You Dense Advocacy Inc., told DOTmed News. "Only one in 10 women find out about breast density from their physician. With the leadership of Senator Simitian, and the advocacy of Amy Colton, women of California will now receive critical information about their breast density. Our advocacy efforts will continue until all U.S. women with dense breasts receive notification," she said.
With Brown's signing of the bill, California joins Connecticut, Texas, Virginia and New York as a state with requirements to inform women about dense breast tissue.

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