Oklahoma enacts blood clot prevention law after bipartisan push

By AI, Created 3:20 PM UTC, May 19, 2026, /AGP/ – Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed the Blake Burgess Blood Clot Prevention Act into law on May 18, making Oklahoma the second state in a year to pass legislation focused on preventing blood clot deaths. The National Blood Clot Alliance says the move should push more states to act against a preventable cause of hospital death.

Why it matters: - Blood clots kill about 100,000 Americans a year and affect an estimated 900,000 more. - The National Blood Clot Alliance says blood clots are a leading cause of preventable hospital death in the U.S. - Oklahoma’s new law adds to a small but growing state-level effort to address venous thromboembolism, or VTE. - The legislation is named for Blake Burgess, an Oklahoman who died from a blood clot at age 23.

What happened: - Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed the Blake Burgess Blood Clot Prevention Act, also known as HB 3644, into law on May 18, 2026. - The National Blood Clot Alliance marked the signing as a major win for patient safety. - Oklahoma became the second state in the past year to pass legislation aimed specifically at preventing blood clot deaths. - Florida passed the Emily Adkins Act before Oklahoma’s action.

The details: - Rep. Preston Stinson championed the bill in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. - Sen. Kelly Hines carried the bill in the Oklahoma Senate. - The National Blood Clot Alliance worked with the Burgess family during the legislative process. - The law was presented as evidence-based policy intended to close a public health gap around VTE prevention. - The National Blood Clot Alliance directs people to more information.

Between the lines: - The Oklahoma signing gives blood clot advocates a bipartisan example they can point to in other states. - Leslie Lake, volunteer president of the National Blood Clot Alliance, called the measure a common-sense law and said no one should be dying from preventable blood clots. - The group is framing the Oklahoma and Florida laws as proof that lawmakers across party lines see a need for action. - Family advocacy remains central to the campaign, with the Burgess family turning personal loss into state policy.

What’s next: - The National Blood Clot Alliance is urging governors, state lawmakers and public health leaders in all 50 states to review VTE prevention policies. - The group is pushing other states to follow Oklahoma and Florida in passing prevention-focused legislation. - Advocacy around blood clot prevention is likely to continue as state capitals weigh whether to adopt similar measures.

The bottom line: - Oklahoma has joined Florida in putting blood clot prevention into law, and advocates want the move to become a national trend.