HPV legislation in Montana

Women in Government Ratings

Women in Government, a non-profit network of state level women legislators, receives significant funding from the pharmaceutical industry, including Merck, GlaxoSmithKline, and Digene Corporation -- all with products related to HPV vaccination and testing. According to their report, "The 'State' of Cervical Cancer Prevention in America - 2008" :

POPULATION: 944,632

Incidence & Mortality (2008 Score / 2007 Score)

• Cervical Cancer Incidence Rate: 6.0/100,000 (2 / 1)
• Cervical Cancer Incidence Rate/Race: White: 5.8
• Cervical Cancer Mortality Rate: 2.0/100,000 (2 / 1)
• Cervical Cancer Mortality Rate/Race: White: 1.9

Screening (2008 Score / 2007 Score)

• Cervical Cancer Screening Rate: 82.1% (1 / 2)
• Cervical Cancer Screening Rate/Race: White: 81.7%, American Indian/Alaskan: 86.4%
• % Uninsured/Unscreened: 24.9% (1 / 1)
• Medicaid Coverage HPV Testing: Unrestricted (2 / 2)

Healthcare Access (2008 Score / 2007 Score)

• Rate Uninsured Women: 23% (0 / 0)
• % Low Income/Uninsured Women: 39%

Policy Initiatives and Infrastructure (2008 Score / Cumulative Score (2005–2008)

Screening Requirements (0 / 1)

• There are no new screening requirements.

Task Forces (2 / 2)

• SB 505 funds and renews the Cervical Cancer Task Force; signed by Gov. Brian Schweitzer.

Access to HPV Vaccines (0 / 0)

• There is no HPV vaccine activity.

HPV Vaccine Information Programs (1 / 1)

• HB 733 would require public and private schools to provide parents/guardians with information on the link between HPV and cervical cancer and the availability of the HPV vaccine; died in committee.

Miscellaneous (0 / 0)

• There is no new miscellaneous cervical cancer prevention activity.

Annual Ratings

• 2008: Good (12 out of 22 points)
• 2007: Good (10 out of 18 points)

Articles and resources

SourceWatch Resources

• Gardasil
• GlaxoSmithKline
• Merck
• Women in Government
• Edelman
• The Marketing of Gardasil in Australia
• The Marketing of Gardasil in Canada
• The Marketing of Gardasil in Europe
• The Marketing of Gardasil in New Zealand
• The Marketing of Gardasil in the United States
• Direct-to-consumer advertising
• Disease Mongering
• Drug industry

External links

• Judith Siers-Poisson, The Politics and PR of Cervical Cancer, a four part series, PRWatch.org, July, 2007.