GAITHERSBURG, Maryland and HAMBURG, Germany, December 7 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time in France and the second time in Europe, reimbursement for HPV testing for all uses - including routine screening to identify women at risk of cervical cancer - will be offered by a major insurer, announced Digene Corp.
Effective Jan. 1, 2007, MAAF Santé will pay for HPV DNA testing of all women between the ages of 30 and 65, who are most at risk of developing cervical cancer. The insurer also will fund HPV DNA testing for women of all ages whose Pap results are inconclusive or as a "test of cure" for women treated for cervical disease. The Digene(R) HPV Test, which uses the company's proprietary Hybrid Capture II (hc2) technology, is the only test for detecting the presence of high-risk types of the human papillomavirus (HPV), the cause of cervical cancer, that is clinically validated and both FDA-approved and CE-marked.
"Only the combination of a negative (normal) Pap and a negative HPV test can provide a full guarantee that the risk of developing cervical cancer within the next three years is equal to zero," MAAF Santé stated when announcing its new policy.
The MAAF Santé announcement follows a similar decision in January 2006 by Deutsche BKK, a major public-health insurance provider in the central Wolfsburg region of Germany, in partnership with the local gynecologists' association and a regional hospital.
"This announcement in France - coming so soon after a parallel decision by a major insurer in Germany -- is an important milestone for cervical cancer screening and prevention programs globally, and should trigger similar shifts in the standard of care elsewhere in France, Europe and around the world," said Evan Jones, Digene's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
About Digene
A leader in molecular diagnostics, Digene develops, manufactures and markets proprietary DNA and RNA tests, with a special focus on women's health. The company's flagship product, the Digene(R) HPV Test, is the only FDA-approved and CE-marked test for the human papillomavirus, the cause of cervical cancer. Digene's product portfolio also includes test for the detection of other sexually transmitted infections, including chlamydia and gonorrhea, as well as cystic fibrosis "carrier" genes. Digene tests are marketed in more than 40 countries worldwide. Headquartered in Gaithersburg, MD, Digene is traded on NASDAQ under the symbol DIGE. For more information, visit www.digene.com and www.theHPVtest.com.
Contact:
MasterMedia GmbH
Dr. Werner Bauch
Schulterblatt 120
20357 Hamburg
Tel. +49-40-507-113-29
E-Mail: dr.bauch@mastermedia.de
Contact: MasterMedia GmbH, Dr. Werner Bauch, Schulterblatt 120, 20357 Hamburg, Tel. +49-40-507-113-29, E-Mail: dr.bauch@mastermedia.de
