Closing the HPV Testing Gap Act
Introduced May 20, 2026 · Last action May 20, 2026
Plain English Summary
This bill directs the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study and report on developing a standardized, noninvasive HPV test for men within 24 months, something that does not currently exist in FDA-approved form. The bill requires NIH to work with other federal health agencies and the National Academy of Medicine to assess testing approaches, feasibility across diverse populations, and regulatory pathways, then submit a report to Congress within 30 months with recommendations for implementation.
Who benefits
Public health researchers and institutions conducting HPV research; the National Institutes of Health and National Academy of Medicine (receive funding and research authority); diagnostic test developers and manufacturers (companies that will commercialize any approved HPV test for men); men's health advocacy groups and cancer prevention organizations; women's health advocates (the bill frames HPV testing in men as reducing transmission to women); underserved and high-risk communities targeted for pilot studies; infectious disease and oncology clinicians who would use the test
Who pays / loses
No groups directly lose benefits or bear new costs from this bill. The bill allocates existing NIH appropriations (fiscal years 2026-2030) to fund the study rather than creating a new funding source or removing existing programs. However, the bill implicitly shifts research priorities and resources within NIH's existing budget toward HPV testing development, which may reduce funding available for other NIH research areas not prioritized in this legislation.
Funding & Lobbying Interests
The bill is sponsored by Representatives McIver, Carter of Louisiana, Menendez, and Veasey. Financial interests supporting this type of legislation include: in vitro diagnostic manufacturers and medical device companies seeking to develop and commercialize HPV tests for men (such as Hologic, Abbott, Qiagen, and other companies in the diagnostic testing market); cancer research organizations and men's health advocacy groups focused on HPV-related cancer prevention; women's health organizations that view male HPV testing as a public health equity and cervical cancer prevention measure; academic medical centers and research institutions that would conduct pilot and feasibility studies. No specific donor finance data was provided in the bill materials.
Sponsor
Sponsor information not available.
Vote Record
No recorded votes.
Campaign Finance — Primary Sponsor
No campaign finance data available yet.
501(c)(4) disclosure: Contributions from 501(c)(4) "dark money" organizations are not required to be publicly disclosed and are not reflected in the figures above. Data sourced from FEC public disclosure filings.
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