September 3, 2009
In 2006, CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended routine vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) for girls ages 11-12. States have approached the issue variously through school mandates, requiring insurance providers to cover the vaccine, educational campaigns targeting parents and referring the matter for further study. According to data from the National Conference of State Legislatures:
Legislative proposals to mandate HPV vaccination failed in the following states: Kentucky, New Mexico, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont and West Virginia.
The following states mandate that schools or health departments provide information about HPV and the vaccine, with some states additionally providing the vaccine: Louisiana, Michigan, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, New Jersey, North Carolina, Maine, North Dakota, Texas and Washington. In 2007, Utah passed a law creating a statewide awareness campaign about HPV and its prevention.
Seven states passed legislation requiring insurers to cover the HPV vaccine: Oregon, Iowa, Colorado, Illinois, Nevada, New Mexico and Rhode Island.
Three state Legislatures have ordered further study of the issue: Maryland, Minnesota and New Mexico.
One state and one jurisdiction passed HPV vaccine mandates: Virginia and the District of Columbia. In both, however, parents retain the right to opt their daughters out of the requirement.