U.S., Other Nations Must Do More To Increase HPV Vaccination To Eliminate Cervical Cancer

CNN: Cervical cancer can be eliminated. We must do more to prevent this deadly disease
Arthur L. Caplan, professor and founding director of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU Langone Medical Center, and Peter Hotez, professor of pediatrics and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine
 
“Only a few cancers can be eradicated around the world. Cervical cancer is one. We have the tools and technical expertise to eliminate cervical cancer in the United States, but we lack the leadership, drive, and advocacy to make this happen. That must change. Globally, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women. … To eliminate cervical cancer, the WHO proposes vaccinating 90% of girls under the age of 15 by the year 2030. The strategy involves implementing broader programs for cancer screening and treatment with the aim of eliminating cervical cancer as a public health issue. … [Australia] became one of the first countries to launch a national and publicly funded HPV vaccination program in 2007 and later organized a detailed program for cervical cancer screening. A group of scientists and cancer experts now predict that Australia will eliminate cervical cancer by 2028. Rwanda, which has achieved high HPV vaccination rates for girls, is another success story. … Our public health and elected leaders need to articulate a clear goal of advancing towards eliminating cervical cancer in America by the year 2030. This is feasible, but it means improving teenage access to the HPV vaccine while standing up to an aggressive antivaccine lobby…” (9/7).

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