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Article: HPV in the United States and developing nations: a problem of public health or politics?(Issues & Implications)(human papillomavirus)
- Article from:
- The Guttmacher Report on Public Policy
- Article date:
- August 1, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 Guttmacher Institute. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The global AIDS bill signed into law in May (see related story, page 1) requires an analysis of the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in Sub-Saharan Africa and a study of the impact of condom use on the spread of HPV in Sub-Saharan Africa. Genital HPV is a sexually transmitted viral infection that is linked to cervical cancer, and the author of the requirement, Rep. Jo Ann Davis (R-VA), portrayed it as a means to combat high rates of cervical cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Davis's focus on HPV prevalence is misplaced. It ignores the fact that the most important risk factor for invasive cervical cancer in women is not the presence of HPV infection per se, but ...