WOMEN IN GOVERNMENT COMMENDS FDA FOR APPROVING HPV VACCINE IN FIGHT AGAINST CERVICAL CANCER

Urges Access for All Recommended Age Groups; Maintains Importance of Screening


Washington, DC, June 8, 2006 --- Women In Government, a non-profit, bi-partisan organization representing women state legislators, today commended the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its approval of a vaccine for the human papillomavirus (HPV), the virus that causes cervical cancer. The FDA approved the vaccine, made by Merck and known as Gardasil, for girls and women between the ages of 9 and 26, in order to help prevent cervical cancer.



?The FDA?s decision marks an historic milestone in the fight against cervical cancer and should be celebrated by women and health advocates around the world,? said Susan Crosby, president of Women In Government. ?The availability of an HPV vaccine brings us one major step closer to our goal of ensuring that no more women die of this preventable disease. For the HPV vaccine to truly achieve its potential, however, it must be available to all recommended age groups, regardless of their socioeconomic status. We urge the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to assist in this effort. ?



The ACIP is expected to issue recommendations on who should receive the HPV vaccine and to determine if the vaccine will be included in the federal government?s Vaccines for Children Program, which provides free immunization for under-insured and uninsured children. Their guidelines are also frequently used as the basis for insurance coverage decisions, medical guidelines and inclusion in other public health programs.



Gardasil has been shown in clinical trials to be 100 percent effective in preventing infection with the two types of HPV (16 and 18) that are responsible for approximately 70 percent of all cervical cancers. Clinical data also showed the HPV vaccine to be effective in targeting HPV types 6 and 11, which can cause 90 percent of genital warts.





Ms. Crosby emphasized that, even with the availability of an HPV vaccine, screening will still be important to target cervical cancer caused by those HPV types not covered by the vaccine and to reach women who have already been exposed to high-risk HPV. ?The HPV vaccine should become a part of comprehensive cervical cancer prevention programs that also use advanced and medically appropriate screening methods, such as HPV testing,? said Ms. Crosby.



Research shows that the Pap test?s ability to detect cervical cancer or its early signs ranges from 51 to 85 percent. The FDA recently approved a new screening test for HPV, which, when used in conjunction with a Pap in women age 30 and older, increases the accuracy of the Pap to almost 100 percent.



In 2004, Women In Government launched its ?Challenge to Eliminate Cervical Cancer Campaign,? which mobilizes legislators to educate women about cervical cancer and HPV and ensure that all age-appropriate females have access to advanced and appropriate prevention technologies. To date, 45 states have introduced legislation or resolutions targeting cervical cancer prevention and 39 states have enacted such measures.



About Cervical Cancer

Worldwide, cervical cancer is the second leading cancer-killer of women, with almost a quarter-million deaths each year. In the United States, the American Cancer Society estimates 9,710 women will be diagnosed with and more than 3,700 women will die of cervical cancer. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 20 million people are currently infected with HPV, with 6.2 million new infections occurring annually and approximately 80 percent of sexually active women will be infected with HPV by age 50. For 90 percent of infected women, the virus is naturally cleared by the body and becomes undetectable within two years. However, persistent infection with ?high-risk? types of HPV is the cause of cervical cancer.


About Women In Government

Women In Government is a national, 501(c)(3), non-profit, bi-partisan organization of women state legislators providing leadership opportunities, networking, expert forums and educational resources to address and resolve complex public policy issues. For more information, visit www.womeningovernment.org.