New York Assembly Bill A07897

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 4/11/25
• Refer: 4/11/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Directs the department of health to create an informational pamphlet regarding the laparoscopic power morcellation surgery technique.

Summary

A07897 would require the New York State Department of Health to create an informational pamphlet for patients considering laparoscopic power morcellation surgery. The pamphlet must explain what the procedure is, its risks and benefits, related procedures that may be used instead, and the need to screen for certain cancers before surgery. It must also describe privacy expectations during the procedure, explain when power morcellation may be used in hysterectomy or myomectomy cases, and warn that the technique can spread undetected cancer cells. The pamphlet would also include contact information for reporting possible misconduct. The bill directs the department to make the pamphlet available online as a printable file and, optionally, as a printed document. It must be written in plain language and translated into English and the six most common non-English languages spoken by people with limited English proficiency in New York. Practitioners may provide the pamphlet to patients before performing the procedure, and the bill defines "practitioner" broadly to include licensed or otherwise authorized health care professionals acting within their scope of practice.

Impact

The bill would add a new section 2504-c to the Public Health Law, creating a state-level patient education requirement focused on laparoscopic power morcellation. It would not ban the procedure or change clinical standards directly, but it would require the Department of Health to develop standardized educational materials and make them publicly available for use by providers. The measure would affect health care professionals performing gynecologic and related surgeries, as well as patients considering hysterectomy, myomectomy, or other procedures where morcellation may be used.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded votes or committee discussion, the measure appears to be framed as a patient-safety and informed-consent bill rather than a controversial regulatory restriction. Its tone is precautionary and informational, emphasizing transparency, cancer screening, and multilingual access to health information. There is no available evidence of formal support or opposition in the provided materials, but the bill’s structure suggests an effort to improve patient awareness without imposing a direct prohibition on the procedure.

Contention

The main points of potential contention are the bill’s emphasis on warning patients that power morcellation may spread undetected cancer cells and its requirement that providers explain why the technique is the best option in a given case. Some practitioners may view these provisions as increasing administrative burden or potentially discouraging use of a procedure they consider clinically appropriate. Another possible issue is the requirement to provide the pamphlet in multiple languages and to include reporting information for misconduct, which may be seen as expanding compliance obligations for providers. No specific opposing or supporting stakeholders are identified in the available record.