Sec. 2. Findings

313 words·~1 min read·/bill/119/hr/6561/ih/section-2

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

Congress finds the following: The human papillomavirus (referred to in this Act as HPV ) causes six different types of cancer (anal, cervical, oropharynx, penile, vaginal, and vulvar). Approximately 39,300 cases of cancer are caused by HPV each year impacting both women and men. About 91 percent of cervical and anal cancers are thought to be caused by HPV. Black and Hispanic women are more likely to get HPV-associated cervical cancer than women of other races and ethnicities due to disparities in access to cancer screening and early detection.

New cases of cervical cancer decreased among women in young age groups, likely due to HPV vaccination, but in recent years, new cases of cervical cancer rates among women in older age groups have plateaued or, in the case of women ages 30–34, increased. Cervical cancer screening has declined and there has been an increase in cervical cancer diagnosed at distant stages, which are more difficult to treat and more likely to recur, leading to greater morbidity and mortality. Approximately 70 percent of oropharyngeal cancer is tied to HPV, and such cancers are more than twice as common in men as in women.

Most HPV infections that can lead to cancer can be prevented by vaccines. HPV vaccines can also help prevent recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, anal and genital warts. Vaccination for HPV is approved for men and women. The vaccines are most effective if administered when an individual is between the ages of 9 and 12, but the vaccines are licensed for men and women through age 45. Approximately 63 percent of adolescents have completed the HPV vaccine series, a lower rate than other routine recommended vaccinations.

Adolescents living in rural areas continue to be less likely to have initiated and completed the HPV vaccine series than those living in urban areas. Health providers’ recommendation of the vaccine is critical to getting adolescents vaccinated.