HPV legislation in Illinois

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: 12,831,970

Incidence & Mortality (2008 Score / 2007 Score)

• Cervical Cancer Incidence Rate: 9.3/100,000 (1/ 1)
• Cervical Cancer Incidence Rate/Race: White: 8.2, Black: 14.5, Hispanic: 14.1, Asian/Pacific Islander: 6.3
• Cervical Cancer Mortality Rate: 2.8/100,000 (1 / 1)
• Cervical Cancer Mortality Rate/Race: White: 2.5 , Black: 6.0, Hispanic: 3.2, Asian/Pacific Islander: 1.7

Screening (2008 Score / 2007 Score)

• Cervical Cancer Screening Rate: 83.6% (1 / 2)
• Cervical Cancer Screening Rate/Race: White: 82.6%, Black: 89%, Hispanic: 85.8%
• % Uninsured/Unscreened: 16.4% (2 / 2)
• Medicaid Coverage HPV Testing: Unrestricted (2 / 2)

Healthcare Access (2008 Score / 2007 Score)

• Rate Uninsured Women: 17% (1 / 1)
• % Low Income/Uninsured Women: 36%

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

Screening Requirements (1 / 1)

• There are no new screening requirements.

Task Forces (0 / 2)

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

Access to HPV Vaccines (2 / 2)

• SB 10 would require female students 11 or 12 years of age to present proof of having received the HPV vaccine or having received vaccine information and declined vaccination prior to public, private or parochial school entry; 3rd reading deadline extended until Dec. 31, 2007.
• HB 115 would change from sixth grade to fifth grade the time when parent/guardian of female child must sign a statement that the child has received the HPV vaccine or received information and declined vaccination; re-referred to House Rules Committee.
• SB 937 requires insurers to provide coverage for the HPV vaccine and directs the Dept. of Public Health to establish and administer a program to provide eligible individuals with the HPV vaccination. Also must provide female students entering 6th grade with information about the link between HPV and cervical cancer and the availability of the HPV vaccine; signed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

HPV Vaccine Information Programs (1 / 1)

• HB 2033 provides that the Dept. of Public Health shall educate the public about HPV and the availability of the HPV vaccine and promote immunization against HPV; passed House, sent to Senate.

Miscellaneous (0 / 2)

• There is no new miscellaneous cervical cancer prevention activity.

Additional Notes

• Women In Government held a state briefing in March with state legislators, expert speakers and public health advocates. The state is expanding its breast and cervical cancer screening program to cover all women without health insurance in Illinois. The expansion is expected to make screening and treatment available to 260,000 additional women at a cost of $50 million.

Annual Ratings

• 2008: Very Good (16 out of 22 points)
• 2007: Very Good (14 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.