U.S. House Passes HPV Cancer Legislation
The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the PREVENT HPV Cancers Act by voice vote. The bill was sponsored by Representatives Kathy Castor (D-FL) and Kim Schrier (D-WA). Moffitt's Center for Immunization, and Infection Research in Cancer (CIIRC) Director Anna Giuliano, PhD, was a strong advocate for the legislation.
HPV causes six types of cancer among men and women – cervical, vaginal, vulvar, penile, anal and oropharyngeal (a type of head and neck cancer occurring in the tonsils, soft palate and base of tongue). Moffitt’s research of this virus has increased the understanding of its natural history, helped determine the efficacy of the HPV vaccine and supported licensure of two different HPV vaccines, examined provider and parental knowledge and behaviors of the vaccine, and guided policy changes in vaccine uptake.
More recently, Moffitt is collaborating with partners, institutions and organizations around the world to support a goal of eliminating HPV-related cancers, beginning with cervical cancer.
"The science has been clear for years – we have the tools to eliminate HPV-related cancers globally, starting with cervical cancer. Representative Castor has had a long-standing collaboration with us at Moffitt Cancer Center in promoting interventions to prevent HPV cancers. We applaud Representative Castor for her leadership on PREVENT HPV Cancers Act, which could save tens of thousands of lives among U.S. men and women per year," said Anna Giuliano, PhD, who is also an American Cancer Society clinical research professor.
Learn more about Moffitt’s HPV research or on how to help eliminate HPV-related cancers.