Lt. Gov.'s Cancer Prevention Effort Praised, Criticized
None by KCPW
(KCPW News) Utah's Lieutenant Governor is being honored for his work preventing cervical cancer, which kills 3,700 women annually. But cervical cancer is caused by a sexually transmitted virus and that makes the Lieutenant Governor's campaign something of a hot potato. KCPW's Julie Rose reports:
Lieutenant Governor Gary Herbert has spent the last eight months distributing 25-thousand brochures urging Utah women to protect themselves from the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus, or "HPV." The brochure warns women that HPV is responsible for more than 99 percent of cervical cancer cases.
Herbert's endorsement of that claim upsets powerful conservative lobbyist Gayle Ruzicka of the Utah Eagle Forum. She and other conservative activists claim data does not exist to link all cervical cancer cases with HPV and saying so unfairly labels women with cervical cancer as promiscuous.
The National Institute of Cancer and the American Cancer Society both say the vast majority - more than 90 percent - of cervical cancer cases are caused by the virus.
The brochure being distributed by Lieutenant Governor Herbert was developed by the National Lieutenant Governor's Association and paid for by two drug companies developing vaccines for HPV. The material lists sexual abstinence as the surest way to prevent HPV, but also recommends using condoms, getting regular PAP smears and considering a vaccination.
Lieutenant Governor Herbert is being honored by the American Society of Association Executives for his cervical cancer prevention campaign, but he declined an interview to discuss content of the brochure.
Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom. Copyright 2008 KCPW
1. Todd Sutton said:
I was shocked to hear Ruzika's criticism of a program that seeks to save lives. Ruzika was concerned that children will think their parents were "sleeping around" because the mother has cervical cancer. I think the harm of knowing that parents may have contracted the HPV virus is inflicted by Ruzika's form of morality, not by a child knowing about the virus. Besides, what does it matter whether or not HPV is a STD? If we can save lives or make lives better by administering a vaccine, shouldn't that trump misguided rectitude?
2. Demma said:
Mr. Sutton,
You are absolutely right. Saving lives is paramount, rather then engaging in political discourse.
We are just trying to do a decent job of helping folks become aware of this horrible disease.
JMD