February 2009
Through a new advertising campaign in Memphis, local women will learn more about cervical cancer screening and prevention.
Cervical cancer is caused by high-risk types of the human papillomavirus (HPV) and QIAGEN, the maker of the only FDA-approved HPV test, has selected Memphis as a priority market for a new campaign to air its 30-second ad for the digene HPV Test on local TV stations.
QIAGEN chose Memphis based on market research data that revealed only 32 percent of eligible women in the region were receiving the HPV DNA test despite the city having a large female population over age 30, strong insurance coverage and access to the latest in cervical screening technology.
Additionally, results from a Women in Government (WIG) state assessment of cervical cancer prevention signaled the need for further concentration: Tennessee received only a "fair" rating (9 out of 22 measured data points) in WIG's ‘Turning Challenges Into Opportunities: The 'State' of Cervical Cancer Prevention in America 2008.’
"Our goal is to educate Memphis women about the cause of cervical cancer–high-risk types of the HPV virus–and inform women that with proper screening, cervical cancer is preventable," said Jeff Schmalz, QIAGEN's Director of Molecular Diagnostic Marketing for the Americas.
"Through this local ad campaign, we hope to encourage more conversations between women and their doctors or nurses about cervical cancer prevention. Our TV ad shows that combining the HPV test with the Pap smear in women over 30, who are most at risk for cervical cancer, provides the highest level of protection."
"Unlike virtually all other types of cancer, we know the specific cause of cervical cancer and can test for it. If a woman has a normal Pap smear, but is shown to have high-risk types of HPV, we can know that she is in a higher-risk group and she can be monitored closely to ensure that cervical disease or cancer is not missed," said Dr. Joseph Santosofrom West Clinic in Memphis.
"Offering the HPV test underscores our commitment to providing our patients the most accurate, state-of-the-art screening techniques available. With HPV testing, we can now know a woman's HPV status. It's similar to knowing your cholesterol levels, which most people now accept as a routine way of assessing risk of potential heart disease, so that they can take action when necessary. In the same way, HPV status can help women and their clinicians assess risk for cervical disease, and enable early preventative action."
With more than 40 physicians across a range of specialties, nurses and nurse practitioners in more than seven Memphis area locations, West Clinic offers a combination of cervical cancer prevention tools, including Pap testing, HPV screening and HPV vaccination–depending on a woman's age.
QIAGEN's TV ad features the real-life story of Jodi McKinney and her gynecologist, Dr. Mamie Bowers– who discovered that Jodi had cervical disease, despite her initially normal Pap smear, thanks to getting an HPV test. Jodi, her husband, children and gynecologist are such big believers in cervical cancer prevention and HPV testing that they all appear in the ads.
"Jodi's personal story of 'catching' precancerous cells before they could grow to full blown cancer is compelling. I didn't know about the link between HPV and cervical cancer when I was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2001," said Michelle Whitlock, cervical cancer prevention activist.
"Today there are many more preventive options available, so I'm happy that women in my community will know to ask their doctors about new technologies like the HPV test."
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