Today, U.S. Representatives Kathy Castor (FL14) and Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA08) celebrated House passage of the Promoting Resources to Expand Vaccination, Education and New Treatments for HPV Cancers Act (PREVENT HPV Cancers Act).
The human papillomavirus (HPV) causes six types of cancers, which leads to nearly 36,000 cases of cancer each year in the United States according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The World Health Organization established a goal last year of total eradication of cervical cancer due to the highly effective HPV vaccine and commitment by countries around the world. HPV vaccinations help prevent cancers and save lives, yet many families remain unaware of the important cancer-preventing vaccine. The aim of the PREVENT HPV Cancers Act is to increase vaccination rates with an eye to populations that lag far behind in vaccination rates.