Davis, CA – California State Assemblymember Dr. Ed Hernandez (D-West Covina) joined with fellow legislators, medical professionals, and concerned citizens at the Cancer Center at UC Davis Medical Center to urge support for a bill that would ensure all young women in California have the opportunity to be immunized against the single greatest cause of cervical cancer.

In 2006, approximately 10,000 women in the United States were diagnosed with cervical cancer and close to 4,000 will die from the disease.  HPV is the leading cause of cervical cancer, with well over 90% of all cases resulting from HPV.  Approximately $1.7 billion is spent every year in the United States to treat cervical cancer.

“This is about preventing cancer and saving lives, the best way to do that is to make it available to as many women as possible” said Hernandez. 

Hernandez’ proposal, Assembly Bill 16, would require that all female students in the state (in both public and private schools) be administered the vaccine before entering the 7th grade.

“We only saw success combating diseases like Polio once we made the vaccines mandatory”  continued Hernandez, “we can do the same thing for cervical cancer, just by making the new vaccine a part of California’s existing school immunization process,” added Hernandez.

Joining Hernandez in support of Assembly Bill 16 were Assemblymember Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa), Dr. Richard Pan, Patricia Carthew (who suffers from cervical cancer), and Rosalind Gottfried, a parent of two teenage girls who have both received the vaccination. 

AB16 would also require that the Department of Health Services coordinate with the Department of Education to make certain written disclosure is provided to the parent or guardian regarding the HPV virus, its connection to cervical cancer, and the effects of the vaccine.  The legislation would also require that parents, guardians, and emancipated minors have the ability to opt out of any or all of the required vaccinations in California.

“Nobody in California can be forced to immunize their child,” continued Hernandez “we just want to make sure they have access to a safe, tested vaccine that could one day save their daughter’s life.”

The cervical cancer vaccine has been approved by the FDA, recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and its' use is supported by the American Cancer Society as well as the National Cancer Institute.

Cervical cancer disproportionately impacts young women, and treatment for the cancer can render them infertile at a young age.  Cervical cancer also has a higher rate of incidence among women of color, especially Latinas and African-Americans, and yet these women are less likely to receive routine screening.