Washington House Democrats

American Cancer Society backs Darneille bill to battle cervical cancer

House Bill 1802 would educate parents about vaccine that prevents HPV

February 7, 2007

OLYMPIA—The American Cancer Society today urged state lawmakers to pass legislation proposed by state Rep. Jeannie Darneille (D-Tacoma) that would require schools to tell parents about a new vaccine that protects against cervical cancer.

“The American Cancer Society believes that requiring schools to send home information on HPV and the new vaccination for parents and students to go over will help spread education throughout the community on this important new discovery,” said Erin Dziedzic, testifying on behalf of the American Cancer Society.

Dziedzic told the House Health and Wellness Committee that there will be an estimated 150 new cases of cervical cancer in Washington State in 2007. About 3,700 women in the United States will die from the disease this year, she said.

The new vaccine, Gardasil, prevents infection by types of the human papillomavirus (HPV) that cause 70 percent of cervical cancers. Because the vaccine works best if administered before the virus is acquired through sexual contact, the American Cancer Society and other health experts recommend routine HPV vaccinations of 11- and 12-year-old girls.

According to Darneille, lawmakers in 17 states are considering proposals to require the HPV vaccine for girls entering the sixth grade. Texas Gov. Rick Perry issued an executive order last week to make the vaccine mandatory for girls entering sixth grade in September 2008.

Darneille emphasized that her legislation, which is sponsored by 27 of the 28 women in the House of Representatives, does not mandate vaccinations. Instead, it requires schools to inform parents about HPV and the HPV vaccine.

“My bill focuses on educating parents about the availability of the HPV vaccine in our state and about the health risks their daughters face if they are not vaccinated,” said Darneille.

Washington schools are currently required to inform parents of students in grades six and higher about meningococcal disease and its vaccine, so the cost of informing parents about the HPV vaccine would be negligible.

The American Cancer Society agrees with Darneille’s emphasis on education.

“The American Cancer Society does not have a national policy on mandating the vaccine for school attendance at this time, but we support all efforts to educate the public and the students about this vaccine,” Dziedzic testified.

In Washington, the budget proposed by Gov. Chris Gregoire includes more than $13 million to make the HPV vaccine available through the state’s universal vaccine program, which supplies vaccines free of charge to children regardless of their ability to pay or their health plan coverage.

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