Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is an epidemic that is silently spreading across our country today. Currently, 20 million Americans are infected with some form of HPV; this will lead to 20,000 new cases of HPV-related cancer each year. Many believe that this disease burden disproportionately affects women – in fact, half of the cases detected each year will be in women in the form of cervical cancer. However, HPV can also cause cancer of the anus, vagina, penis, and oropharynx in men and women. HPV is also directly linked to genital and anal warts. It is because of the ever-increasing morbidity and mortality associated with HPV infection that I believe we should establish a national program to vaccinate girls and boys against HPV during early adolescence. Legislation to enact a national HPV vaccination program for boys and girls is needed. our best chance to reduce some of the pressure of HPV on future generations. Your state, Virginia, is one of only two places in the country to support childhood vaccinations through a school-based opt-out program. I believe a similar model would be effective nationally. In summary, your state's 2007 bill requires all girls age eleven to receive all three doses of the HPV vaccine at school or through their doctor before entering sixth grade. If parents have a religious or moral disagreement with this policy, they have the option to refuse vaccination without negative repercussions. By allowing parents to opt out of the policy your state legislature put in place four years ago, the majority of girls in the Commonwealth will be protected against HPV, while preserving parental rights to refuse treatment. Of course, HPV vaccination is a controversial topic...... middle of document ......e The law required the ACIP and CDC to recommend that preventive vaccinations be given without the evaluation of a share. Therefore, only children who are not covered by Medicaid or private insurance will not have the opportunity to be vaccinated; Funding to cover these children could be incorporated into each state's next fiscal year's Medicaid payment schedules. Developing a mandatory national HPV vaccination program may not be the easiest bill to pass during our current session of Congress. However, I believe that the disease burden that HPV creates each year for the U.S. healthcare system is significant enough to require an alternative solution to the one we are working with today. Our children deserve it. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the content I have written above; I look forward to discussing this issue with you further.