ASCP Urges Congressional Support for Cervical Health

As part of our Cervical Health Awareness Month activities, ASCP has reached out to key U.S. senators and their staff to gain bipartisan support for a “Dear Colleague” letter encouraging effective, equitable cervical cancer screening in the United States. A “Dear Colleague” letter is an official correspondence sent by a member of Congress, congressional committee, or officer of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives to other congressional offices to organize support for a public policy issue or cause.

ASCP has been contacting key senators to garner support for a letter from Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Roger Marshall, MD (R-KS) to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, Esq. That letter urges the Department to renew efforts to increase cervical cancer screening rates in light of troubling current data on the increase in cervical cancer rates in the United States.

The letter was finalized with the bi-partisan support of 13 Senators. ASCP hopes this will translate into renewed efforts to improve cervical cancer screening education and awareness and create comprehensive screening guidelines that protect access to screening for all women in the US.

In addition to the ASCP activities, we would like to highlight this bipartisan Public Service Announcement that was released by Rep. Terry Sewell (D-AL) and Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN) to recognize Cervical Health Awareness Month and educate on the importance of regular screening.

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