Politics of the HPV Vaccine

Laura Brion and Chris Mastrangelo look into the politics surrounding the HPV vaccine in Rhode Island and throughout the nation. About twenty million Americans are currently infected with human papillomavirus, or HPV -- the virus that causes cervical cancer. Eleven thousand women in the U.S. are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year, and over three million others suffer from additional effects of the virus, including abnormal pap smear results and precancerous lesions. "I remember very vividly as a child, feeling like, you know, why me--why did I get cancer? And, the idea then of having a cancer be preventable with a simple shot is--it's definitely something that's helping to motivate me." Michelle Lally, assistant professor of medicine at Brown University A relatively new vaccine promises to protect currently uninfected women from the deadliest strains of HPV, but this new vaccine is expensive and requires multiple administrations. Still, it could prevent as many as 90% of cervical cancer cases in the future. "Cost should not be a factor. [It] should not be that only people that have a great Blue Cross plan, or a lot of money, or whatever should be able to get this... not in this country, I think that's kind of crazy." Al Jemma, RI State Rep. and sponsor of the HPV vaccine bill (2007-H5061) While most insurance companies already cover the cost of the vaccine, they oppose a bill in Rhode Island that would make that coverage mandatory. This story covers the reactions by state officials, insurance companies, and doctors. "We have a great vaccine that is very very safe, and clearly as a community we have the resources... We've got this tremendous vaccine; we ought to be implementing it right away." Tim Flanagan, chief of infectious diseases at Brown University