HPV legislation in Texas

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: 23,507,783

Incidence & Mortality (2008 Score / 2007 Score)

• Cervical Cancer Incidence Rate: 10.1/100,000 (1/ 1)
• Cervical Cancer Incidence Rate/Race: White: 10.1, Black: 11.7, Hispanic: 15, Asian/Pacific Islander: 6.6
• Cervical Cancer Mortality Rate: 3.4/100,000 (1 / 1)
• Cervical Cancer Mortality Rate/Race: White: 3.2, Black: 5.7, Hispanic: 4.2, Asian/Pacific Islander: 2.3

Screening (2008 Score / 2007 Score)

• Cervical Cancer Screening Rate: 80.2% (0 / 1)
• Cervical Cancer Screening Rate/Race: White: 82.2%, Black: 80.9%, Hispanic: 77.5%
• % Uninsured/Unscreened: 25.5% (1 / 1)
• Medicaid Coverage HPV Testing: Unrestricted (2 / 2)

Healthcare Access (2008 Score / 2007 Score)

• Rate Uninsured Women: 29% (0 / 0)
• % Low Income/Uninsured Women: 52%

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

Screening Requirements (0 / 2)

• There are no new screening requirements.

Task Forces (0 / 2)

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

Access to HPV Vaccines (1 / 1)

• HB 215/SB 110 would require female students enrolling in 6th grade to receive the HPV vaccine and the Dept. of Health to disseminate information about HPV and cervical cancer; died in House.
• SB 815 would require health benefit plans to provide coverage of the HPV vaccine; sent Committee on Public Affairs.

HPV Vaccine Information Programs (2 / 2)

• HB 1379 creates an HPV vaccine information program, including information on the effectiveness and availability of vaccine; and an HPV/cervical cancer prevention program for parents; signed by Gov. Rick Perry.

Miscellaneous (0 / 0)

• There is no new miscellaneous cervical cancer prevention activity.

Additional Notes

• Gov. Perry signed an executive order in February 2007 requiring HPV vaccine for 6th grade girls; overturned by Legislature (HB 1098, which prohibits immunization against HPV as a condition for public school admission).

Annual Ratings

• 2008: Good (12 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.