TMA Grant to Provide Cancer-Preventing Vaccinations for Houstonians

 Oct. 4, 2017

The Texas Medical Association (TMA) Be Wise — ImmunizeSM program recently granted San José Clinic in Houston funding to give human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations to the clinic’s patients. The clinic was among 12 recipients to whom TMA recently granted funds to provide free and low-cost vaccinations to uninsured and underinsured Texans in their hometowns.  


San José Clinic provides comprehensive health care services for uninsured individuals and families in southeast Texas who struggle to access care. 

“We’re especially pleased to have this funding so we can continue to provide the vaccine to our young adult patients,” said Mary Neal, MD, long-time volunteer healthcare provider at San José Clinic. The TMA physician member said this vaccination is particularly important because the majority of the clinic population is Hispanic, and this population is especially at risk of developing cervical and penile cancers from HPV infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

HPV is the most common infection in the nation spread through intimate skin-to-skin or sexual contact. Almost all — eight in 10 — sexually active people will have the virus sometime in their lives. Most HPV infections will go away, but some will not. These cases have the potential to cause cancer and genital warts years or even decades later. The HPV vaccination can prevent most types of the infection.  

For best protection, physicians and other health experts recommend 11- and 12-year-old boys and girls get the HPV vaccination. Experts also recommend older teens and young adults who were not vaccinated in adolescence get the HPV vaccine. Both males and females can get the shots until age 26.  

TMA created the Be Wise — Immunize Local Impact Grants program in 2012 to enable members of TMA and the Texas Medical Association Alliance (an organization of physician volunteers and spouses) to help ensure their communities are healthy by offering childhood, adolescent, and adult vaccinations at special events and clinics. Members often partner with local organizations to reach residents in need.  

In five years, TMA has awarded 84 grants totaling $157,600 to provide more than 12,000 vaccinations across the state through the Local Impact Grants program. TMA Foundation (TMAF), TMA’s philanthropic arm, funds Be Wise — Immunize and the Local Impact Grants.  

“HPV vaccination is so important to prevent cancers down the road,” said TMAF President Leslie H. Secrest, MD, of Dallas. “TMA Foundation is pleased to be part of this effort to help these Houston residents lead healthier lives.” 

TMA actively works to improve vaccination rates in Texas through its Be Wise — Immunize program. TMA has given nearly 330,000 immunizations to Texas children, adolescents, and adults since the program began in 2004. TMAF funds the Be Wise program in 2017 through generous support from H-E-B and TMF Health Quality Institute, along with contributions from physicians and their families.

TMA has published a downloadable infographic about HPV vaccination, in English and Spanish.

TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation, representing more than 50,000 physician and medical student members. It is located in Austin and has 110 component county medical societies around the state. TMA’s key objective since 1853 is to improve the health of all Texans.

San José Clinic, the original safety-net clinic in Houston, is a leading provider of quality healthcare services for individuals and families in the Greater Houston area who struggle the most with accessing care. The Clinic provides primary and specialty medical and dental care as well as vision, laboratory and pharmacy services. San José Clinic is a Texas Medical Center institution, a United Way agency and a ministry of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

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Be Wise — Immunize is a service mark of the Texas Medical Association. 

Contact:  Brent Annear (512) 370-1381; cell: (512) 656-7320; email: brent.annear[at]texmed[dot]org

Marcus Cooper (512) 370-1382; cell: (512) 650-5336; email: marcus.cooper[at]texmed[dot]org  

Connect with TMA on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram

Check out MeAndMyDoctor.com for interesting and timely news on health care issues and policy. 

 

Last Updated On

February 18, 2020

Originally Published On

October 04, 2017

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