Bill To Increase Teenage Girls' Awareness Of HPV Heads To Governor's Desk

BILL TO INCREASE TEENAGE GIRLS' AWARENESS OF HPV HEADS TO GOVERNOR'S DESK

(TRENTON) - Legislation sponsored by Assemblywomen Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Joan Voss, and Joan Quigley that would help New Jersey to combat the sexually transmitted disease Human Papillomavirus (HPV) through an educational campaign aimed at pre-teen girls and young women received final legislative approval today in the General  was released today by an Assembly committee.

The legislation (A-3920) would create a public awareness campaign targeted at students in grades seven through 12 to stop the spread of HPV, a group of viruses with more than 100 different strains.

"Today's young women must be armed with information that is critical to protecting their bodies from HPV," said Vainieri-Huttle (D-Bergen). "By ignoring the alarming spread of HPV, we are endangering the welfare of our daughters, nieces, granddaughters and friends. By making young women aware of the dangers of HPV we are providing them with tools to better protect their health."

The HPV virus can infect the genital area of men and women, although many people that are infected with the virus do not have any symptoms.  Some HPV viruses are referred to as "high-risk" and may cause abnormal Pap tests lead to various forms of cancer.  Other HPV viruses are "low-risk" and may cause mild Pap test abnormalities and growths that may appear as warts in the genital area.

"HPV public awareness will help to make women aware of the fact that prevention and regular cervical screenings are the best ways to beat cancer," said Voss (D-Bergen).  "A young woman has the option to receive a vaccination to better protect her health from this dangerous cluster of viruses."

"There is no cure for HPV infection but we must do all that we can to prevent the spread of this sexually transmitted disease that everyday infects more and more young women," said Quigley (D-Hudson).  "Regular screening and testing can help doctors provide treatment and assistance for women who already infected with HPV."

According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly 20 million people are currently infected with HPV.  It is estimated that 50 percent of sexually active men and women acquire the genital HPV infection at some point during their lives.  Women are disproportionately affected with nearly 80 percent becoming infected by the time they reach age 50.

Most women are diagnosed with HPV on the basis of abnormal Pap tests. A Pap test is the primary cancer-screening tool for cervical cancer or pre-cancerous changes in the cervix, many of which are related to HPV.  There is also a specific HPV test available for women under the age of 30 who have had mild Pap test abnormalities. 

A Pap test can detect pre-cancerous and cancerous cells on the cervix. Regular Pap testing and careful medical follow-up, with treatment if necessary, can help ensure that pre-cancerous changes in the cervix caused by HPV infection do not develop into life threatening cervical cancer.  The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2004 more than 10,500 women will have developed invasive cervical cancer and about 3,900 women will have died from the disease.

The Assembly passed the measure 77 -0 with two abstentions.  It now heads to the Governor, who may decide to sign it into law, veto it, or modify it in the form of a conditional veto.
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