HPV legislation in Connecticut

Women in Government Ratings

Women in Government, a non-profit network of state level women legislators, receives significant funding from the pharmaceutical industry, including Merck, GlaxoSmithKline, and Digene Corporation -- all with products related to HPV vaccination and testing. According to their report, "The 'State' of Cervical Cancer Prevention in America - 2008" :

POPULATION: 3,504,809

Incidence & Mortality (2008 Score / 2007 Score)

• Cervical Cancer Incidence Rate: 7.2/100,000 (2 / 2)
• Cervical Cancer Incidence Rate/Race: White: 6.9 , Black: 12.7, Hispanic: 12.4
• Cervical Cancer Mortality Rate: 1.6/100,000 (2 / 2)
• Cervical Cancer Mortality Rate/Race: White: 1.7 , Black: 2.6

Screening (2008 Score / 2007 Score)

• Cervical Cancer Screening Rate: 86.8% (2 / 2)
• Cervical Cancer Screening Rate/Race: White: 90.0%, Black: 88.9%, Hispanic: 84.2%, Asian/Pacific Islander: 81.1%
• % Uninsured/Unscreened: 16.1% (2 / 2)
• Medicaid Coverage HPV Testing: Unrestricted (2 / 2)

Healthcare Access (2008 Score / 2007 Score)

• Rate Uninsured Women: 13% (1 / 1)
• % Low Income/Uninsured Women: 28%

Policy Initiatives and Infrastructure (2008 Score / Cumulative Score (2005–2008)

Screening Requirements (0 / 1)

• There are no new screening requirements.

Task Forces (0 / 0)

• There is no new cervical cancer prevention task force legislation.

Access to HPV Vaccines (1 / 1)

• HB 6085 would include the HPV vaccine in the adolescent vaccine schedule and appropriate funding to study cervical cancer prevention strategies and create an outreach program to educate the public about the vaccine; did not leave committee.
• HB 6977 would require 6th graders to be vaccinated again HPV; did not leave committee.
• HB 5485 would cover the HPV vaccine under the state’s HUSKY plan for girls 11–18; sent to Senate Appropriations Committee.

HPV Vaccine Information Programs (0 / 0)

• There is no HPV vaccine information activity.

Miscellaneous (1 / 1)

• SB 86 would require the Dept. of Public Health to develop standards for early immunization against HPV strains 16 and 18; in committee.
• SB 689 would appropriate funds to expand the Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program to all uninsured women; referred to committee.
• SB 1097 would expand the Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program to women at or below 250% of the federal poverty level; referred to committee.

Annual Ratings

• 2008: Good (14 out of 22 points)
• 2007: Very Good (13 out of 18 points)

Articles and resources

SourceWatch Resources

• Gardasil
• GlaxoSmithKline
• Merck
• Women in Government
• Edelman
• The Marketing of Gardasil in Australia
• The Marketing of Gardasil in Canada
• The Marketing of Gardasil in Europe
• The Marketing of Gardasil in New Zealand
• The Marketing of Gardasil in the United States
• Direct-to-consumer advertising
• Disease Mongering
• Drug industry

External links

• Judith Siers-Poisson, The Politics and PR of Cervical Cancer, a four part series, PRWatch.org, July, 2007.