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A4185
ASSEMBLY, No. 4185
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 19, 2026
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman� CAROL A. MURPHY
District 7 (Burlington)
SYNOPSIS
����
Requires certain doctors and nurses to ask patients
questions regarding menstrual cycles, previous tampon use, and toxic shock
syndrome.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
An Act
concerning toxic shock syndrome and supplementing Title
26 of the Revised Statutes.
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.��� a.� As used in this
section:
���� �Nurse practitioner"
means a licensed nurse practitioner who practices nursing the following areas:
family medicine, general obstetrics, or gynecology.
���� �Physician" means a
physician licensed pursuant to Title 45 of the Revised Statutes who practices
family medicine, general obstetrics, or gynecology.
���� b.��� A nurse practitioner or
physician shall ask each female patient who is exhibiting symptoms associated
with influenza or viral gastroenteritis if the patient has an active menstrual
cycle or the date of the last menstrual cycle if the female patient does not
have an active menstrual cycle at the time of the medical visit.
���� c.���� A nurse practitioner or
physician shall ask a female patient with an active menstrual cycle or a
recently active menstrual cycle, as determined pursuant to subsection b. of
this section, when the patient most recently used a tampon and if the patient
experienced symptoms associated with influenza or viral gastroenteritis while
using the tampon or soon thereafter.
���� d.��� A nurse practitioner or
physician shall inform a female patient who is exhibiting symptoms associated
with influenza or viral gastroenteritis about signs and symptoms of menstrual
toxic shock syndrome.�
���� e.���� A nurse practitioner or
physician shall offer to test a female patient for toxic shock syndrome if:
���� (1)�� the patient is
exhibiting symptoms associated with influenza or viral gastroenteritis;
���� (2)�� the patient has an
active or recently active menstrual cycle as determined pursuant to subsection
b. of this section; and
���� (3)�� the patient began
experiencing symptoms associated with influenza or viral gastroenteritis while
using a tampon or soon thereafter as determined pursuant to subsection c. of
this section.
���� 2.��� The Commissioner of
Health may adopt rules and regulations, in accordance with the �Administrative
Procedure Act,� P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), as necessary to
effectuate the provisions of this act.
���� 3.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
���� This bill requires nurse
practitioners who practices nursing in emergency medicine, family medicine,
general obstetrics, or gynecology and physicians who practice emergency
medicine, family medicine, general obstetrics, or gynecology to ask patients
questions regarding menstrual cycles, previous tampon use, and toxic shock
syndrome.
���� Under the bill, a nurse
practitioner or physician is to ask each female patient who is exhibiting
symptoms associated with influenza or viral gastroenteritis if the patient has
an active menstrual cycle or the date of the last menstrual cycle if the female
patient does not have an active menstrual cycle at the time of the medical
visit.� A nurse practitioner or physician is to ask a female patient with an
active menstrual cycle or a recently active menstrual cycle, when the patient
most recently used a tampon and if the patient experienced symptoms associated
with influenza or viral gastroenteritis while using the tampon or soon
thereafter.� A nurse practitioner or physician is to inform a female patient
who is exhibiting symptoms associated with influenza or viral gastroenteritis
about signs and symptoms of menstrual toxic shock syndrome.�
���� In addition, a nurse
practitioner or physician is to offer to test a female patient for toxic shock
syndrome if:
���� (1)�� the patient is
exhibiting symptoms associated with influenza or viral gastroenteritis;
���� (2)�� the patient has an
active or recently active menstrual cycle; and
���� (3)�� the patient began
experiencing symptoms associated with influenza or viral gastroenteritis while
using a tampon or soon thereafter.