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Mississippi has the worst HPV vaccine uptake in the nation, and women are dying of preventable cancer

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1 year ago

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The vaccine with the poorest track record in the U.S. has its worst uptake in Mississippi. Nearly 20 years after the first FDA-approved HPV vaccine was introduced to the public, Mississippi has one of the highest rates of cervical cancer deaths in the country.

The Human Papillomavirus, or HPV, vaccine protects against the nine most common and high-risk strains of the virus that cause cancers and genital warts in both males and females. Despite its efficacy, it has one of the lowest immunization records of recommended vaccines in the country, with a national average of only 63% of teens up to date on their two-dose vaccine.

In Mississippi, only 39% of teens are up to date on immunization. Practitioners say the biggest barriers to immunization against the virus are the stigma around how the virus is thought to be transmitted and misunderstanding about who the vaccine is for.

Dr. Anita Henderson, pediatrician at Hattiesburg Clinic and the former president of the Mississippi chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said that it has taken time for the public to understand that the vaccine is not simply preventing a sexually transmitted disease.

“That is not what the HPV vaccine was developed for – it was developed to prevent cancers,” Henderson said. “And unfortunately, I think the misinformation around this vaccine has played a significant role in its poor uptake.”

In fact, despite the longstanding definition of HPV as a “sexually transmitted disease,” research is now bringing to light instances of non-sexual contact transmission. Some pediatricians are seeing HPV transmission from mother to baby during birth.

“We have had several babies with HPV in their airways causing stridor and difficulty breathing,” Henderson said. “The pediatric ENT made the diagnosis of HPV warts in the airway with diagnosis and treatment via upper airway endoscopy.”

Dr. Anita Henderson, a pediatrician at The Pediatric Clinic, speaks in support of Senate Bill 2212 during a press conference at the Capitol in Jackson, Miss., Wednesday, February 22, 2023. The bill would extend postpartum coverage from two months to one year. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi Today

For parents who associate the virus with sexual behavior, it can be confusing why practitioners recommend the vaccine at such a young age. But the impact of age on efficacy of the vaccine is also misunderstood.

“The vaccine is about 90% effective against cervical cancer when given at the age of 12 or 13, it is about 60% effective if given at the age of 14 to 16, and it is about 30 or 35% effective if given at the age of 16 to 18,” Henderson explained.

According to Henderson, that has to do not only with the fact that earlier immunization increases one’s chances of vaccinating prior to exposure, but also with the fact that “when you’re younger, your immune system does a better job of developing the appropriate antibodies to the vaccine.”

The HPV vaccine has been an outlier in childhood vaccines in Mississippi. The state has been at the forefront of childhood immunization for years, often ranking first for vaccination in young children – a title that only now could be challenged as Mississippi joined other states in allowing religious exemption for childhood vaccination last month.

The widespread association of the HPV vaccine with sexual activity is part of what makes HPV vaccine hesitancy so unique and pervasive in the state, explained the Mississippi HPV Roundtable Coordinator Amy Ellis.

The Mississippi HPV Roundtable works to increase HPV vaccination rates by offering online resources for parents and coordinating health initiatives across the state. Member organizations come from a diversity of sectors including academia and state and local agencies.

“If it was a vaccine to prevent any other type of cancer that wasn’t sexually transmitted, I don’t think it would be this controversial,” Ellis said.

And while some parents might fear that the vaccine encourages sexual behavior, studies show there is no evidence to support that claim.

“A misconception that some parents have is that if their kids get the HPV vaccine, that that is going to give them permission to have sex, and that has just not proven to be the case,” Ellis continued. “Kids don’t even know what vaccine they’re getting.”

While the state has the worst HPV vaccine rates, there are a number of Mississippi initiatives to change that statistic that Ellis is excited to see play out. One of the most successful so far, she said, is the college campus initiative, that aims to inform college students who never received the vaccine, for whatever reason, about the HPV virus and vaccine.

“Ole Miss is taking the lead on that and doing an amazing job,” Ellis said, “educating students about the vaccine, and then if they want to get it, they can go get it at a clinic on site.”

The Mississippi Board of Dental Examiners also ruled in April 2021 to allow licensed dentists in the state to administer the vaccine, according to the board minutes. Currently, there are no dentists who have completed the process to store and administer the vaccine on site, but the policy is in place for that to happen in the future.

“We are ahead of the game there,” Ellis said. “There are not many states that have dentists that are able to give the vaccine, so that is exciting for Mississippi.”

Cervical cancer is a more known example of HPV-related cancer because there are so many studies and an abundance of data and marketing highlighting the connection to the HPV virus. But Tara Smith, an epidemiologist and professor at Kent State University College of Public Health whose research is rooted in science denial and vaccine hesitancy, noted there are also several debilitating cancers for males.

HPV can cause penile, anal and oral cancers in men, the last of which has been on the rise in recent years.

“I don’t think some people have gotten past the idea that the only reason to get it for boys is to protect their female partners,” Smith said. “I think that that education campaign has been kind of lacking.”

Smith also said that one of the biggest causes of this miseducation is the reluctance to talk about these topics – both on the part of parents and practitioners.

“I think there is a lot of misunderstanding that if teens behave in a manner that the parents would like them to, as far as abstaining, that that will protect them, which unfortunately, it really doesn’t,” she explained.

Even teens who abstain from intercourse might end up engaging in other forms of sexual activity, all of which can transmit the virus. For those who do abstain entirely, Smith said, “you still don’t know who they’re going to marry.”

What makes these conversations even more trying for parents, Smith explained, is that they “can sometimes bring up more uncomfortable topics about things like rape and sexual assault, where your child may not be protected, and it may not be their choice to engage in sexual activity.”

But for Smith, there is nothing more important than setting up the dialogue between parents and practitioners as early as age 9, which is the youngest age the HPV vaccine can be administered.

“We need to be talking about it, and talking about it earlier,” she said. “When you get to the time when kids are recommended for the vaccine, which is generally around 12 or so, parents are starting to think about things like their child growing up, and bringing in that conversation about sex is sometimes difficult. So I really think it’s about the dialogue, and starting early, and not being afraid to talk about these things.”

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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Mississippi Today

Billionaire Tommy Duff forms Republican PAC as he weighs gubernatorial run

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10 hours ago

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January 7, 2025

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mississippitoday.org – Taylor Vance – 2025-01-07 11:40:00

Billionaire Tommy Duff, as he considers a run for Mississippi governor in 2027, has formed a political action committee to help elect Republicans to city and legislative offices this year, likely to increase his influence as a political powerbroker.

Jordan Russell, a longtime Republican operative who has led several federal and state campaigns, is director of the PAC, which was formed in December. 

Russell told Mississippi Today in a statement that Duff founded the PAC to support conservative candidates and advance policies that promote “opportunities, freedom, faith-based values and prosperity across Mississippi.” 

“We are planning a significant investment in multiple races in our state to ensure strong, conservative leadership at every level of government,” Russell said. 

Duff, a Hattiesburg resident and the co-wealthiest Mississippian along with his brother Jim, has been involved in state politics for decades, but mostly behind the scenes as a megadonor and philanthropist. He recently finished an eight-year stint on the state Institutions of Higher Learning Board, first appointed by former Gov. Phil Bryant. 

READ MORE: Will a Mississippi billionaire run for governor in the poorest state?

He’s travelled around the state in recent months meeting with political and business leaders, potentially laying the groundwork for a gubernatorial run. Duff also appeared at last year’s Neshoba County Fair and made the rounds at the state’s premiere political gathering. 

Duff and his brother turned a small, struggling company into Southern Tire Mart, the nation’s largest truck tire dealer and retread manufacturer. They created Duff Capitol Investors, the largest privately held business in Mississippi, with ownership in more than 20 companies, including KLLM Transport, TL Wallace Construction and Southern Insurance Group.

Duff has recently said he’s still weighing a run for governor, but his creation of a PAC that could garner support from many down-ticket Republicans would appear to be a concrete step in that direction. Duff’s entrance into a gubernatorial race would likely cause numerous potential candidates — particularly those who have looked to him for large campaign donations — to wave off.

While statewide elections are still two years away, municipal elections will take place this year and several special legislative races will happen as well. 

Rep. Charles Young, Jr., a Democrat from Meridian, died on December 19, and Rep. Andy Stepp, a Republican from Bruce, died on December 5. Sen. Jenifer Branning, a Republican from Philadelphia, was sworn into office yesterday for a seat on the Mississippi Supreme Court. Special elections will take place later this year to fill these vacancies. 

A federal three-judge panel also ruled last year that the Legislature  must create new state Senate and House maps with Black-majority districts and conduct special elections in 2025 under those newly created districts. 

The court ordered legislators to create a majority-Black Senate district in the DeSoto County area in north Mississippi and one in the Hattiesburg area in south Mississippi. The panel also ruled the state must create a majority-Black House district in the Chickasaw County area in northeast Mississippi. 

However, the Legislature will also have to tweak many districts in the state to accommodate for the new Black-majority maps. State officials in court filings have argued that the redrawing would affect a quarter of the state’s 174 legislative districts.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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Mississippi Today

Mississippi Today expands politics team for 2025 legislative session

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11 hours ago

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January 7, 2025

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mississippitoday.org – Adam Ganucheau – 2025-01-07 10:19:00

Mississippi Today is proud to announce the expansion of its politics team, dedicated to providing readers with in-depth reporting on the 2025 legislative session and key political issues shaping our state.

This team will rove the halls of the Mississippi Capitol in 2025, providing insightful daily updates, robust analysis, and in-depth coverage of state politics. The team will also produce investigations that aim to provide accountability to our state’s most powerful leaders.

Geoff Pender, a seasoned journalist with decades of experience covering Mississippi politics, continues his role as the politics team editor. Pender will guide the team as they tackle critical stories and offer insightful commentary on the decisions affecting Mississippians.

“We have a great team in place, a mix of old hands and fresh eyes, and one I believe will enhance Mississippi Today’s already unrivaled coverage of Mississippi government, politics and policies that impact us all,” Pender said.

Newcomers to the politics team — Simeon Gates and Michael Goldberg — join team veteran Taylor Vance to bring unique expertise to readers.

Simeon Gates, who has been with Mississippi Today since 2024, moves to the politics team to focus on education policy issues, highlighting how debates and decisions at the Capitol affect Mississippi’s schools, teachers and students. Gates is a Pearl native and alumna of University of Southern Mississippi.

Michael Goldberg joined Mississippi Today on Dec. 30, 2024, after more than two years with The Associated Press. Goldberg, who covered two Mississippi legislative sessions with the AP, will be posted at the Capitol daily. Goldberg is a California native and is an alumnus of Western Washington University and University of Southern California.

Taylor Vance, who has served on the Mississippi Today politics team since 2023, will continue to cover the Legislature and focus on elections and the political dynamics shaping the state’s future. Vance, a Grenada native, is an alumnus of the University of Mississippi.

PODCAST: Expanded Mississippi Today politics team talks 2025 legislative session

Mississippi Today Senior Political Reporter Bobby Harrison, who has been on the politics team since 2018, is transitioning to a new role in the newsroom that will be announced in coming days. Harrison will continue publishing his weekly political analysis in conjunction with newspaper partners across the state.

The politics team will continue producing its weekly podcast, “The Other Side,” and beginning this week, videos of episodes will be available to watch on our YouTube channel.

To follow Mississippi Today’s politics team and its coverage of the 2025 legislative session, you can do two things:

  1. Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter. There, the team will recap the previous week, forecast the upcoming week, and produce short videos and other written nuggets that you can’t find anywhere else.
  2. Bookmark our 2025 Legislative Guide, which includes resources you need to engage with lawmakers and follow their action this year. This page will also update whenever a new legislative story from Mississippi Today publishes.

Thank you for reading, and don’t hesitate to email us if you have any questions or tips.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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OptumRx sues Mississippi Board of Pharmacy, alleges due process violation

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12 hours ago

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January 7, 2025

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mississippitoday.org – Gwen Dilworth – 2025-01-07 08:49:00

A lawsuit filed by a major pharmacy benefit manager in December alleges the Mississippi Board of Pharmacy violated the company’s right to due process by releasing the findings of an audit before determining any wrongdoing. 

The audit’s findings, released by the Board of Pharmacy in October, indicate that OptumRx may have violated Mississippi law by paying independent pharmacies in Mississippi rates lower than chains and Optum-affiliated pharmacies for the same prescription drugs in 2022. 

Mississippi law prohibits pharmacy benefit managers from reimbursing their affiliate pharmacies, or those they own, at higher rates than non-affiliate pharmacies for the same services.

OptumRx filed the complaint in Hinds County Chancery Court on Dec. 10, naming all seven Board of Pharmacy members and Executive Director Susan McCoy as defendants. The lawsuit asks the judge to rule that an independent hearing officer preside over the administrative hearing on the audit’s findings.

Administrative hearings can lead to disciplinary action by the Board of Pharmacy, including fines. 

A “one-sided press release” issued by the Board of Pharmacy – a two-page document summarizing the 848-page audit completed by Ridgeland-based HORNE accounting firm – thwarted OptumRx’s right to a fair and impartial hearing and demonstrated the board’s bias against the company, said the lawsuit. 

The press release did not note the company’s upcoming administrative hearing to determine whether it had violated Mississippi law or state that OptumRx disputes the board’s claims. 

An administrative hearing on the alleged law violations was previously scheduled for Dec. 19 but has been delayed due to the lawsuit.  

The board declined to provide an independent hearing officer to oversee the administrative proceedings or to remove the press release from their website. It said it would “entertain” the possibility of posting a rebuttal from OptumRx, according to the lawsuit. 

OptumRx declined to comment on the lawsuit, but a spokesperson for the company previously told Mississippi Today that it has identified errors in the audit’s findings and methodology and submitted them to the Board of Pharmacy. 

The Board of Pharmacy declined to comment on ongoing litigation or administrative hearing matters, and HORNE did not respond to Mississippi Today by the time this story published. 

OptumRx argued that the audit’s methodology was unfair because it did not investigate the services provided by affiliated, chain and independent pharmacies and instead assumed that all pharmacies dispensing the same prescription drugs offer identical services. 

“It is wholly inappropriate to assume parity of service offerings between different types of pharmacies, such as OptumRx’s affiliated (long-term care) pharmacy and retail pharmacy,” wrote the lawsuit.

The audit’s analysis of a generic drug used to treat bacterial infections alleged that an Optum-affiliated pharmacy was paid eight times more than the lowest-paid independent pharmacy on the same day. Chain and affiliate pharmacies were allegedly paid over 20 times as much as independent pharmacies for a generic drug used to treat stomach and esophagus problems.

The audit’s findings have already led to litigation against the company.

In November, Valley Drugs, Inc., a Water Valley pharmacy, filed a class action federal lawsuit against OptumRx and its parent company, UnitedHealth Group, seeking damages for alleged violations of Mississippi’s prescription drug reimbursement regulation and citing the audit’s findings. 

OptumRx is owned by health care behemoth UnitedHealth Group Inc., the U.S.’ most profitable health care company and the owner of the nation’s largest health insurance company, UnitedHealthcare. In 2023, the company brought in $32.4 billion in earnings. 

OptumRx is the third-largest pharmacy benefit manager in the nation, representing 22% of the industry’s market share in 2023.

A Federal Trade Commission report in July found that in general, large pharmacy benefit managers pay their own, affiliated pharmacies significantly more than other pharmacies and set reimbursement rates at untenably low levels for independent drug stores.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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