PREVENT HPV Cancers Act clears House committee

Washington — The ADA is supporting HR 1550, the PREVENT HPV Cancers Act, which encourages the use of the human papillomavirus vaccine in order to reduce the risk for HPV-related cancers.

The ADA sent a letter to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce ahead of its July 21 markup of the bill. In the letter, ADA President Daniel J. Klemmedson, D.D.S., M.D., and Executive Director Kathleen T. O’Loughlin, D.M.D., noted that HPV is now associated with 9,000 cases of head and neck cancers each year in the United States, citing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Drs. Klemmedson and O’Loughlin also said they hope the bill will increase awareness of HPV and efforts for immunization against it in order to help Americans safeguard their oral health against diseases of the mouth, throat and tonsils.

“We would appreciate the opportunity to work with Congress to help educate the public about the benefits of the HPV vaccine,” the letter concluded.

With the ADA’s support, the committee passed the bill.

For more information on the ADA’s advocacy efforts, visit ADA.org/Advocacy.