The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 18 : Health

Chapter 004 : Cancer Registry

• § 158. Dense breast notification and education

  (a) All health care facilities that perform mammography examinations shall include in the summary of the mammography report to be provided to a patient information that identifies the patient’s individual breast tissue classification based on the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System established by the American College of Radiology. If a facility determines that a patient has heterogeneously dense or extremely dense breasts, the summary of the mammography report shall also include a notice substantially similar to the following:

  “Your mammogram indicates that you have dense breast tissue. Dense breast tissue is a normal finding that is present in about 40 percent of women. Dense breast tissue can make it more difficult to detect cancer on a mammogram and may be associated with a slightly increased risk for breast cancer. This information is provided to raise your awareness of the impact of breast density on cancer detection and to encourage you to discuss this issue, as well as other breast cancer risk factors, with your health care provider as you decide together which screening options may be right for you.”

  (b) Facilities that perform mammography examinations may update the language in their notices over time to reflect advances in science and technology, as long as they continue to notify patients about the frequency of dense breast tissue and its effect on the accuracy of mammograms and encourage patients to discuss the issue with their health care provider. Facilities shall notify the Department of Health each time they make changes to the notice required by this section and shall provide an updated copy for the Department’s information and review.

  (c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to create a duty of care or other legal obligation beyond the duty to provide notice as set forth in this section. (Added 2015, No. 139 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)