Bill · S. 3598· Senate(119-S-3598)
Better Care for PFAS Patients Act of 2026
- Introduced
- 1/8/2026
- Last activity
- 1/8/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Sponsored by
- Jeanne Shaheen
- Cosponsors
- - 0 - 1
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "Better Care for PFAS Patients Act of 2026" aims to provide periodic and up-to-date clinical guidance regarding the health effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The Director of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry will enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, or another appropriate entity, to assess these health effects. This entity will be tasked with assessing health effects measurable in human tissues and formulating clinical recommendations. The agreement requires an initial assessment and recommendations within two years. Subsequently, these assessments and recommendations must be updated every five years or more frequently if necessary. Finally, the Director will issue, post, and disseminate clinical guidance based on these findings.
Yes· 3 of 7
Does this make health care easier to get in general?+4
The bill improves healthcare access by providing clinical guidance and recommendations for managing the health effects of PFAS exposure.
Does this put more money into medical research?+3
The bill funds periodic scientific assessments of PFAS health effects through an agreement with the National Academies or a similar entity.
Does this put more money into scientific research?+3
The bill mandates and funds scientific assessments of PFAS health effects to be conducted by the National Academies or a similar entity.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Assessment of Health Effects: The National Academies or an appropriate entity will assess the health effects of PFAS that can be measured in human tissues (Section 2(a)(1)(A)). This provides a scientific basis for understanding how these substances affect the body.
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Clinical Recommendations and Guidance: The bill requires the formulation of clinical recommendations (Section 2(a)(1)(B)) and the issuance of up-to-date clinical guidance (Section 2(b)(1)(A)). This guidance is intended to help address the health effects of PFAS.
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Community Engagement: The entity performing the assessments is required to engage with PFAS exposed communities and solicit input regarding their experiences with exposure, testing, and clinical follow-up (Section 2(a)(2)). This ensures that the lived experiences of affected individuals are considered in the process.
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Information Accessibility: The Director must post clinical guidance on the public website of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (Section 2(b)(1)(B)) and disseminate it to State and local public health authorities and health care professionals (Section 2(b)(1)(C)). This ensures that important health information is available to the public and medical professionals.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts or burdens for individuals or groups of people are explicitly mentioned in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Healthcare
- Improves Healthcare Access+4Increases Research Funding+3
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Low Income Households+2Good For People With Disabilities+1
- Education And Technology
- Increases Scientific Research Funding+3
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Environmental Protections+3
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+3
- 1/8/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Susan CollinsRepublican · Maine