HPV Education and Prevention Provision Receives Congressional Approval
Congress on Friday approved a human papillomavirus education and prevention program as part of the FY 2001 HHS appropriations bill. The provision requires that the CDC:
- Determine the prevalence of HPV in the United States;
- Develop and distribute educational materials to the public and health care professionals regarding "HPV prevention, modes of transmission, the link between HPV and cervical cancer, the effectiveness or lack of effectiveness of condoms in preventing HPV and the importance of regular Pap smears";
- Ensure that "all educational and prevention materials prepared for the public by the federal government and its grantees regarding HPV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) contain 'medically accurate information regarding the effectiveness or lack of effectiveness' of condoms in preventing HPV infection."