Oklahoma Second State in a Year to Take Action Against Preventable Blood Clot Deaths with Bipartisan Legislation; NBCA Calls on States Nationwide to Follow Suit
OKLAHOMA CITY, NC, UNITED STATES, May 19, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The National Blood Clot Alliance (NBCA) today celebrated a landmark victory for patient safety as Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed the Blake Burgess Blood Clot Prevention Act (HB 3644) into law on May 18, 2026. The new law makes Oklahoma the second state in the past year to pass legislation specifically aimed at preventing blood clot deaths — following Florida’s Emily Adkins Act — marking a growing national momentum to address one of the most underrecognized yet deadly threats to public health.
Blood clots, or venous thromboembolism (VTE), claim the lives of 100,000 Americans every year and impact an estimated 900,000 more. Blood clots are a leading cause of preventable hospital death in the United States. Despite this staggering toll, blood clots have long been overlooked in public health policy — a gap the Blake Burgess Blood Clot Prevention Act is designed to close. The legislation was named in honor of Blake Burgess, an Oklahoman who died from a blood clot at just 23 years old, inspiring his family to turn tragedy into action.
“This is a common sense, bipartisan law aimed at preventing blood clot deaths,” said Leslie Lake, Volunteer President of the National Blood Clot Alliance. “For too long, blood clots have been ignored, yet they are the leading cause of hospital-associated death. Nobody in this day and age should be dying from preventable blood clots. With the stroke of a pen, Governor Stitt took the bold act of protecting Oklahoma citizens from blood clots. NBCA calls on other states to follow suit.”
The legislation was championed in the Oklahoma House of Representatives by Rep. Preston Stinson and carried in the Oklahoma Senate by Senator Kelly Hines. NBCA extends its deepest gratitude to both sponsors for their leadership and commitment to saving lives through evidence-based policy.
NBCA was honored to work alongside the Burgess family throughout the legislative process. Their courage in transforming personal loss into lasting public good exemplifies the power of patient and family advocacy. It is because of families like theirs that lives will be saved in Oklahoma for generations to come.
The signing of the Blake Burgess Blood Clot Prevention Act follows Florida’s passage of the Emily Adkins Act, making these two laws powerful proof that legislators across the political spectrum recognize the urgent need to act. NBCA views this bipartisan progress as a signal to state capitals across the country: the time to address preventable blood clot deaths is now.
The National Blood Clot Alliance urges governors, state legislators, and public health leaders in every state to review their own VTE prevention policies and join the growing movement to protect patients from preventable blood clot deaths. Visit stoptheclot.org.
About the National Blood Clot Alliance (NBCA)
The National Blood Clot Alliance (NBCA) is a nonprofit health organization dedicated to advancing the prevention, early diagnosis, and successful treatment of life-threatening blood clots, including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). Through patient education, community outreach, advocacy, and support for survivors and bereaved families, NBCA works to reduce the devastating human toll of venous thromboembolism (VTE). NBCA also provides tools and resources for healthcare professionals committed to evidence-based VTE prevention. Learn more at stoptheclot.org and follow us at @StopTheClot.
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National Blood Clot Alliance
mediainquiries@stoptheclot.org
Tarin Patrikis
