Doctor and Advocacy Groups Work to Deliver Cervical Cancer Vaccinations

The Partnership to End Cervical Cancer (PECC) is a group of more than 20 member organizations dedicated to ensuring the immediate inclusion of cervical cancer vaccines as part of routine preventive health care for American women. Cervical cancer, mostly caused by persistent infection with oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV), is the second most prevalent cancer among women. It takes the lives of more than 270,000 women worldwide each year.

"This partnership is inspired by the enormous opportunity a vaccination will offer to help eliminate most forms of cervical cancer, but we are concerned that the public health landscape is not primed to ensure broad access to vaccines," said Phyllis Greenberger, chairperson of PECC. "Our goal is to educate women about cervical cancer and to encourage the public health network, physicians, and policymakers to take action to ensure that women have access to medical breakthroughs, such as new vaccines."

The PECC members have formed four committees to address policy and public health challenges to securing access to vaccines for women:

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• The Cervical Cancer and HPV Education Committee will increase HPV awareness and the benefits of vaccination.

• The Access/Coverage for Vaccines Committee will educate policymakers about universal access to vaccines and coverage of the cost.

• The Medical Home Committee for Adult Women Vaccination will develop and implement recommendations for medical practice guidelines that include routine screening and vaccination.

• The Health Disparities Committee will try to ensure that women in communities with higher cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates have equal opportunities to receive the vaccines.

"That we can potentially eliminate most forms of a cancer through a series of vaccinations is a significant milestone in health care history," said Dr. Stanley Gall, an American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologist representative who serves on and advises partnership committees.

Back to other news for October 16, 2006