States Turn Challenges Into Opportunities, Advancing Cervical Cancer Prevention Efforts,...

States Turn Challenges Into Opportunities, Advancing Cervical Cancer
Prevention Efforts, According to a New Report Released Today

WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new report shows that states
are making progress in the fight against cervical cancer, but still face
barriers in terms of racial and socio-economic disparities in cervical cancer
incidence, mortality, and a lack of access to care. A dialogue on HPV and
cervical cancer prevention has emerged in state legislatures throughout the
country over the last year. While differences in opinion exist about how to
best eradicate cervical cancer, the consensus remains that education,
prevention, and collaborative efforts are the key to the elimination of this
preventable but deadly disease. These findings are from "Turning Challenges
Into Opportunities: the 'State' of Cervical Cancer Prevention in America
2008," the fourth annual state-by-state comparison report released today by
Women In Government, a non-profit, bi-partisan organization representing women
state legislators.

Across the country, legislators and public health officials have been
successful in turning recent challenges into opportunities by using the
increased exposure of the issue to raise the debate to a more informed level.
In addition, the past 12 months have seen the enactment of numerous bills to
help fight cervical cancer as well as the implementation of cervical cancer
prevention programs developed by statewide task forces and new efforts to
increase access to HPV screening and vaccines.

"Our new report shows the resilience of state legislators to advance efforts
to eliminate cervical cancer,'" said Susan Crosby, president of Women In
Government. "Although we have seen progress in the states on cervical cancer
prevention policies, particularly in the face of challenges, it is critical
that policymakers and public health advocates work collaboratively within each
state to ensure that available preventive technologies, such as the HPV
vaccine and HPV screening, are made available to and utilized by all women,
particularly underserved women who need them most."

The report looked at current data for each state on cervical cancer incidence
and mortality rates; screening rates, including for low-income women; women's
access to screening using the most up-to-date technology, rates of uninsured
women; and the legislative priority being put on this issue, particularly with
the availability of the new HPV vaccine. Key findings in the report are:

-- The majority of states received a grade of Good or Very Good in their
efforts to prevent cervical cancer. Six states were rated Very Good and 31
states were rated Good; 13 states and the District of Columbia received a
grade of Fair.

-- This edition of the report significantly raised the bar in terms of actions
that states need to take to receive a top score by adding indicators for
access to the HPV vaccine and vaccine education programs, raising the number
of possible points from 18 to 22, and as a result overall grades are slightly
lower in this report than in the last report, reflecting not lost ground but
the challenges that states face in making the most of the opportunities to
incorporate new screening and prevention modalities into their cervical cancer
prevention efforts.

-- Of the 27 states and the District of Columbia that took action to require
HPV vaccination for school entry, only Virginia and DC ultimately passed a
vaccine requirement (the DC measure requires final approval by Congress).
However, stalled HPV vaccine requirements in many states were replaced with
HPV education initiatives, greatly increasing HPV public education efforts.

-- In the United States, cervical cancer remains a disease of socioeconomic
disparity, with Hispanic and African-American women more likely to be
diagnosed with the disease and more likely to die of it than white women.

An HPV vaccine was approved by the FDA in 2006 for girls and women aged nine
to 26 and studies show it is 100 percent effective at preventing disease from
the HPV types that account for 70 percent of all cervical cancers and 90
percent of genital warts. A second HPV vaccine, shown to be as effective
against cervical cancer-causing HPV, is currently under review by the FDA.
Even with the HPV vaccine, screening will still be critical to protect women
against cervical cancer caused by HPV types not covered by the vaccine, for
women already exposed to HPV types targeted by the vaccine, and for women who
do not receive the vaccine. Research shows that the Pap test is 51 to 85
percent accurate, depending upon the type of Pap test used. An FDA-approved
HPV test is available and research shows that adding HPV testing to a Pap test
in women aged 30 and older can increase a clinician's ability to identify
women needing early intervention and a major study recently found that the HPV
test as a stand-alone screen was almost 40 percent more accurate than the Pap
test and recommended that HPV testing be used as a primary, frontline screen.

Minnesota again scored the highest in the report with a grade of "Very Good"
earning 17 out 22 possible points, joined by North Carolina this year, also
earning 17 points. Other the top-performing states were: Illinois (16 points)
and then Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Virginia, each with scores of 15
points for a "Very Good" rating.

Idaho and South Dakota received the lowest score (each with eight points),
followed by Louisiana, Nebraska, Tennessee and Utah, each with nine points for
a rating of "Fair."

"Turning Challenges Into Opportunities: the 'State' of Cervical Cancer
Prevention in America 2008" is the latest step in Women In Government's
Challenge to Eliminate Cervical Cancer Campaign, which was launched in 2004.
The Campaign engages state legislators nationwide in policy and awareness
efforts to help eliminate cervical cancer. To date, all 50 states have
introduced and/or enacted bills and resolutions targeting cervical cancer
elimination.

About Cervical Cancer

Worldwide, cervical cancer is the second leading cancer-killer of women, with
almost a quarter-million deaths each year. In the U.S., the American Cancer
Society estimated in 2007 that over 11,000 women will be diagnosed with and
more than 3,700 women will die of cervical cancer. According to the CDC,
approximately 20 million people are currently infected with HPV, with 6.2
million new infections occurring annually and approximately 80 percent of
sexually active women will be infected with HPV by age 50. For 90 percent of
infected women, the virus is naturally cleared by the body and becomes
undetectable within two years. However, persistent infection with "high-risk"
types of HPV can cause cell changes that, untreated, can lead to cervical
cancer.

About Women In Government

Women In Government is a national, 501(c)(3), non-profit, bi-partisan
organization of women state legislators providing leadership opportunities,
networking, expert forums and educational resources to address and resolve
complex public policy issues. For more information, visit
www.womeningovernment.org.

To access a copy of "Turning Challenges Into Opportunities: the 'State' of
Cervical Cancer Prevention in America 2008," please visit
here.

SOURCE Women In Government

Kathryn Guccione of Women In Government, +1-202-468-3801,
kguccione@womeningovernment.org