NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Secretary Dr. Alfredo Vigil

For Immediate Release:                                                Contact: Deborah Busemeyer
July 8, 2008                                                                 505-470-2290 

Health Secretary Promotes HPV Vaccine to Protect Against Cervical Cancer
HPV Available at Upcoming Back-to-School Clinics

(Santa Fe) – Health Secretary Dr. Alfredo Vigil said today that the HPV vaccine provides an important protection against cervical cancer. He advises parents to talk to their health-care providers about getting the vaccine for their daughters.

“There has been no clear evidence that the HPV vaccine is associated with negative reactions,” said Dr. Vigil said in response to recent media reports about HPV causing adverse effects in some girls. “It’s important for people to understand that individuals could develop a medical condition after receiving a vaccine, but that doesn’t necessarily link the two.”  

The HPV vaccine is the first vaccine developed to prevent cervical cancer, precancerous genital lesions and genital warts due to HPV. HPV is the most common sexually-transmitted infection in the U.S. and the leading cause of cervical cancer in women.

The New Mexico Department of Health encourages health-care providers to follow the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation for providing the three-dose HPV vaccine for girls ages 11 and 12 and catch-up shots for females ages 13 to 26. While the HPV vaccine can protect against HPV, it does not take the place of regular Pap tests, which are the only way to screen for cervical cancer.

In 2008, the Department of Health distributed 16,910 doses of the HPV vaccine to approximately 475 health-care providers throughout the state. The HPV vaccine is available at no cost to parents in the Department’s public health offices and school based health centers. Sen. Dede Feldman sponsored a bill that Governor Bill Richardson signed in 2007 requiring insurance companies to cover the cost of HPV vaccine for girls age 9 to 14.

The vaccine will also be available at upcoming back-to-school clinics. The Department will hold its first clinics starting August 4 in Roswell and Las Cruces. People may get their child immunized at the Roswell Pubic Health Office at 200 E. Chism from 3 to 7 p.m. Aug. 4-8 and the Las Cruces Public School Head Start at 821 E. Lohman Ave. from 8:30 to 4 p.m. Aug. 4-6. No appointments are necessary.

The Department of Health will publicize clinics as they are scheduled. People can find a clinic near them by looking up www.nmhealth.org.

The American Cancer Society estimates that about 70 women in New Mexico will be diagnosed with cervical cancer this year.

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Deborah Busemeyer
Communications Director
NM Department of Health
Office: 505-827-2619, Cell: 470-2290, Fax: 827-2530