HPV legislation in Iowa

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: 2,982,085

Incidence & Mortality (2008 Score / 2007 Score)

• Cervical Cancer Incidence Rate: 6.2/100,000 (2 / 1)
• Cervical Cancer Incidence Rate/Race: White: 6.1 , Black: 8.4, Hispanic: 11.6
• Cervical Cancer Mortality Rate: 2.2/100,000 (1 / 1)
• Cervical Cancer Mortality Rate/Race: White: 2.2

Screening (2008 Score / 2007 Score)

• Cervical Cancer Screening Rate: 86.1% (2 / 2)
• Cervical Cancer Screening Rate/Race: White: 86.3%, Hispanic: 84.5%
• % Uninsured/Unscreened: 30.2% (0 / 0)
• Medicaid Coverage HPV Testing: Unrestricted (2 / 2)

Healthcare Access (2008 Score / 2007 Score)

• Rate Uninsured Women: 12% (1 / 1)
• % Low Income/Uninsured Women: 29%

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

Screening Requirements (0 / 0)

• 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)

• SF 514/HF 789 would require insurers offering group or individual policies to provide coverage for the HPV vaccine; did not leave committee.

HPV Vaccine Information Programs (1 / 1)

• SF 326/HF 661 would provide appropriations for a public awareness campaign about the HPV vaccination for vaccination of low-income persons; did not leave committee.

Miscellaneous (2 / 2)

• SF 43 would require human sexuality education programs to include information about HPV, its link to cervical cancer and the availability of the HPV vaccine; did not leave committee.
• HB 611 requires schools to provide students with information on HPV and the HPV vaccine; signed by Gov. Culver.

Annual Ratings

• 2008: Good (12 out of 22 points)
• 2007: Fair (8 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.