PREVENT HPV Cancers Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.1550 | Sponsor: Rep. Castor, Kathy (D-FL)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Promoting Resources to Expand Vaccination, Education, and New Treatments for HPV Cancers Act of 2021 or the PREVENT HPV Cancers Act of 2021
This bill reauthorizes through FY2026 and expands Department of Health and Human Services activities to educate health care providers and the public about human papillomavirus (HPV), its association with certain cancers, and the importance of HPV vaccines.
Specifically, the bill (1) requires relevant educational materials to include information about both cervical cancer and other HPV-associated cancers and about the importance of HPV vaccines, including for males; (2) expands the scope of a national education campaign about gynecologic cancers to address HPV-associated cancers more broadly and target specified, at-risk populations; and (3) authorizes demonstration projects to increase knowledge and awareness of gynecologic cancers.

To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for a public 
awareness campaign with respect to human papillomavirus, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Promoting Resources to Expand 
Vaccination, Education, and New Treatments for HPV Cancers Act of 
2021'' or the ``PREVENT HPV Cancers Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. PREVENTING HPV AND HPV-ASSOCIATED CANCERS; REAUTHORIZING 
              JOHANNA'S LAW.

    Section 317P of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247b-17) 
is amended--
            (1) in subsection (c)(1)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``cervical'';
                    (B) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (C) in subparagraph (D) by striking ``other'' and 
                all that follows through ``cancer.'' and inserting 
                ``recommended diagnostics for early intervention for, 
                and prevention of, HPV-associated cancers; and''; and
                    (D) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(E) the importance of recommended vaccines for 
                prevention of HPV and HPV-associated cancers, including 
                for males;''; and
            (2) by amending subsection (d) to read as follows:
    ``(d) Johanna's Law.--
            ``(1) National public awareness campaign.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a 
                national campaign to increase the awareness and 
                knowledge of health care providers and individuals with 
                respect to gynecologic cancers, HPV, and HPV-associated 
                cancers, and the importance of HPV vaccines in 
                preventing HPV and HPV-associated cancers.
                    ``(B) Written materials.--Activities under the 
                national campaign under subparagraph (A) shall 
                include--
                            ``(i) maintaining a supply of written 
                        materials that provide information to the 
                        public on gynecologic cancers, HPV, and HPV-
                        associated cancers; and
                            ``(ii) distributing the materials to 
                        members of the public upon request.
                    ``(C) Public service announcements.--Activities 
                under the national campaign under subparagraph (A) 
                shall, in accordance with applicable law and 
                regulations, include publishing materials in digital or 
                print form, public engagement, and developing and 
                placing public service announcements intended to 
                encourage individuals to discuss with their 
                physicians--
                            ``(i) their risk of gynecologic cancers and 
                        HPV-associated cancers; and
                            ``(ii) the importance of HPV vaccines in 
                        preventing HPV and HPV-associated cancers.
                    ``(D) Targeted populations.--Activities under the 
                national campaign under subparagraph (A) shall include 
                culturally and linguistically competent public service 
                announcements and other forms of communication and 
                public engagement under subparagraph (C) targeted to--
                            ``(i) specific higher-risk populations of 
                        individuals based on race, ethnicity, level of 
                        acculturation, and family history, including 
                        African-American and Ashkenazi Jewish 
                        individuals;
                            ``(ii) communities with high rates of 
                        unvaccinated individuals, including males;
                            ``(iii) rural communities;
                            ``(iv) populations affected by increasing 
                        rates of oropharynx cancers;
                            ``(v) health care providers specializing in 
                        assisting survivors of sexual assault; and
                            ``(vi) such other communities as the 
                        Secretary determines appropriate.
            ``(2) Consultation.--In carrying out the national campaign 
        under this section, the Secretary shall consult with--
                    ``(A) health care providers;
                    ``(B) nonprofit organizations (including 
                gynecologic cancer organizations and organizations that 
                represent communities and individuals most affected by 
                HPV-associated cancers and low vaccination rates);
                    ``(C) State and local public health departments; 
                and
                    ``(D) elementary and secondary education 
                organizations and institutions of higher education.
            ``(3) Demonstration projects regarding outreach and 
        education strategies.--
                    ``(A) In general.--
                            ``(i) Program.--The Secretary may carry out 
                        a program to award grants or contracts to 
                        public or nonprofit private entities for the 
                        purpose of carrying out demonstration projects 
                        to test, compare, and evaluate different 
                        evidence-based outreach and education 
                        strategies to increase the awareness and 
                        knowledge of women, their families, physicians, 
                        nurses, and other key health professionals with 
                        respect to gynecologic cancers, including with 
                        respect to early warning signs, risk factors, 
                        prevention, screening, and treatment options.
                            ``(ii) Science-based resources.--In making 
                        awards under clause (i), the Secretary shall 
                        encourage awardees to use science-based 
                        resources such as the Inside Knowledge About 
                        Gynecologic Cancer education campaign of the 
                        Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
                    ``(B) Preferences in awarding grants or 
                contracts.--In making awards under subparagraph (A), 
                the Secretary shall give preference to--
                            ``(i) applicants with demonstrated 
                        expertise in gynecologic cancer education or 
                        treatment or in working with groups of women 
                        who are at increased risk of gynecologic 
                        cancers; and
                            ``(ii) applicants that, in the 
                        demonstration project funded by the grant or 
                        contract, will establish linkages between 
                        physicians, nurses, other key health 
                        professionals, health profession students, 
                        hospitals, payers, and State health 
                        departments.
                    ``(C) Application.--To seek a grant or contract 
                under subparagraph (A), an entity shall submit an 
                application to the Secretary in such form, in such 
                manner, and containing such agreements, assurances, and 
                information as the Secretary determines to be necessary 
                to carry out this paragraph.
                    ``(D) Certain requirements.--In making awards under 
                subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall--
                            ``(i) make awards, as practicable, to not 
                        fewer than five applicants; and
                            ``(ii) ensure that information provided 
                        through demonstration projects under this 
                        paragraph is consistent with the best available 
                        medical information.
                    ``(E) Report to congress.--Not later than 24 months 
                after the date of the enactment of the PREVENT HPV 
                Cancers Act of 2021, and annually thereafter, the 
                Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Energy and 
                Commerce of the House of Representatives and the 
                Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of 
                the Senate a report that--
                            ``(i) summarizes the activities of 
                        demonstration projects under subparagraph (A);
                            ``(ii) evaluates the extent to which the 
                        projects were effective in increasing awareness 
                        and knowledge of risk factors and early warning 
                        signs in the populations to which the projects 
                        were directed; and
                            ``(iii) identifies barriers to early 
                        detection and appropriate treatment of such 
                        cancers.
            ``(4) Authorization of appropriations.--For the purpose of 
        carrying out this subsection,


              

         there is authorized to be appropriated $25,000,000 for the 
        period of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.''.

            Passed the House of Representatives November 30, 2021.

            Attest:

                                             CHERYL L. JOHNSON,

                                                                 Clerk.