HPV legislation in New Jersey

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: 8,724,560

Incidence & Mortality (2008 Score / 2007 Score)

• Cervical Cancer Incidence Rate: 9.2/100,000 (1 / 1)
• Cervical Cancer Incidence Rate/Race: White: 8.8, Black: 14.1, Hispanic: 16.2, Asian/Pacific Islander: 5/9
• Cervical Cancer Mortality Rate: 2.6/100,000 (1 / 1)
• Cervical Cancer Mortality Rate/Race: White: 2.4, Black: 5.2, Hispanic: 2.7, Asian/Pacific islander: 2.0

Screening (2008 Score / 2007 Score)

• Cervical Cancer Screening Rate: 84% (1 / 1)
• Cervical Cancer Screening Rate/Race: White: 84%, Black: 87.7%, Hispanic: 85.5%, Asian/Pacific islander: 77.1%
• % Uninsured/Unscreened: 23.3% (1 / 1)
• Medicaid Coverage HPV Testing: Unrestricted (2 / 2)

Healthcare Access (2008 Score / 2007 Score)

• Rate Uninsured Women: 17% (1 / 1)
• % Low Income/Uninsured Women: 40%

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

Screening Requirements (1 / 1)

• SB 544 would require health insurers and health benefit programs to provide coverage for cervical cancer screening, including the HPV test. Sent to Senate Committee on Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens.

Task Forces (0 / 2)

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

Access to HPV Vaccines (1 / 1)

• AB 4050 would require insurers and state healthcare coverage programs to cover the HPV vaccine and establishes a public awareness campaign about HPV; sent to Senate Committee on Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens.
• SB 2284/AB 3659 would require insurers and state healthcare coverage programs to cover the cost of the HPV vaccine; sent to Senate Committee on Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens.

HPV Vaccine Information Programs (2 / 2)

• SB 2286 requires the distribution of information about HPV to the parents/guardians of 7th–12th graders and to pediatricians and establishes a public awareness campaign (replaced mandatory immunization measure). Signed by Gov. Corzine.

Miscellaneous (0 / 0)

• There is no new miscellaneous cervical cancer prevention activity.

Annual Ratings

• 2008: Good (13 out of 22 points)
• 2007: Good (10 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.