We did a story on this last year. Now things are coming to a head.
Cervical cancer vaccine approved / Sexually transmitted disease treatment raises ethics debate
A federal advisory committee is expected to decide by the end of the month whether the first-ever vaccine to prevent most cases of cervical cancer, approved by the Food and Drug Administration on Thursday, should be given to all girls before they have sex and are potentially exposed to the virus that causes the cancer.
A recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices would not make the vaccine, Gardasil, mandatory — it is up to states to determine whether a vaccine should be required for school attendance. In California, making the vaccine mandatory would require new legislation.
But physicians note that parents may be troubled by giving their young daughters a vaccine for a sexually transmitted disease, and several conservative groups, while supporting the vaccine, said they would challenge efforts to make immunization mandatory.
“It’s naive to think that girls are not going to get into a situation where they might have sex before whatever age you want them to be,” Tori said. “You may want to preach a particular family value, but whether or not that actually occurs is beyond your power. If you can protect your child from getting a life-threatening illness, absolutely, sign them up right now.”
Interesting,
In the little town I live in STD’s are up in the 30% range for teens.
On any farm, as kids grow up, they learn about sex, one way or another, Precautions must be taken, as kids are SMART, and inquisitive.
Better safe then sorry.
While it is no doubt a very good idea to get the vaccine, I don’t think it should be mandatory for girls to get it to attend school. The whole point of mandatory vaccinations for school is that kids can pass each other diseases (mumps, measels, chicken pox) just by being in the same room. In other words, if the government is going to force kids to congregate in groups where they can get sick just by complying with mandatory school attendance laws, the government has an obligation to protect those who are simply obeying the law.
STDs don’t quite work that way.
I’ve seen a good reason for the vaccine to be mandatory, elsewhere. Even if the young woman is chaste until marriage (not too likely these days, but we’ll make that asumption), her new husband may not have been so chaste, and may be carrying the virus.
On the cost: chances are the price of the vaccine will drop as more gets produced.
Yes, children should be given the vaccine. This is a public welfare issue and should be done with the same intensity as other public welfare health cases. Smallpox has been eradicated and polio extremely reduced in incidence. Cases of other common communicable diseases such as measles, mumps, and chicken pox have become rare. All these vaccines have saved society billions of dollars, uncountable lives, and millions of personal tragedies.
But physicians note that parents may be troubled by giving their young daughters a vaccine for a sexually transmitted disease,…
The wording leads me to wonder if the opposition to making it mandatory would be different if it also affected their “young sons”?
If instead of just being carriers of the virus, boys developed testicular cancer?
I don’t think it should be mandatory, there are plent of other STDs out not the mention all the other problems associated with sleeping around and this would provide a false sense of security to teenagers who already think their invincible.
#6, Mike, a very good point. I wonder is there might be some connection between testicular cancer and cervical cancer? Ah what the ef, if the right wingers and neo-cons can invent bullcrap all the time to justify their own quirks then something that might be beneficial to them could also have the truth stretched.
IF YOUR BABY GIRLS DON’T GET VACCINATED, YOUR BABY BOY’S BALLS WILL ROT AND FALL OFF !!!
one more thing to toss out there – not all STD transmission is exactly voluntary. getting this vaccine early on could help girls from adding an STD to the already hugely traumatic victimization of sexual abuse.
#9 …not all STD transmission is exactly voluntary.
I agree, Doug.
But that would require the “several conservative groups” [as they are called in the article] to confront two unpleasant realities…
1. My little girl might want to have sex…
2. My little girl might be forced to have sex…
#6 & #8:
I think that this virus (or some strains of it) can have a hand in causing various cancers in men.
Will cause the boy’s balls to rot and fall off?
10. Given the pretty much constant uproar about sex offenders (jail ’em, commit ’em to mental institutions, and/or execute ’em is the refrain in State legislatures), one would think that this possibility would be front and center.
Problem is that certain people, as has been noted, see STDs and unwanted pregnancies as a deterrent to sexual “misbehavior,” and failing that, as punishment. As if the ony thing preventing life from being one non-stop orgy is the possibility of genital warts. This crew is more concerned about what happens if you take away those deterrents with birth control and other technology than the actual effects upon people’s health. Including the mental and physical health effects of having an STD on top of being molested.
Ask anyone diagnosed with cancer if – given the opportunity – they would have agreed to be vaccinated against the disease.
If you’re at all still confused what the response might be, visit the local oncologists’s office and inquire of those in the waiting room.
That Americans are even having this debate indicates we need to be importing large quanities of ravenous lions.
The prices won’t go down. They”ll go up[ as the demand skyrockets when you make things mandatory. This is great news for the vaccine companies, who have already managed to get other vaccines mandatory hwich should be optional like hepatitis B. Vaccines aren’t 100% and should be limited to communicable diseases with little alternative. Thus no vaccine for chicken pox should be required.
considering the PURITAN, ideals in this country.
‘How long it took to Think Aids could be a BAD thing'(about 10 years).
Hiding your head int he sand, ISNT protection from much, except maybe a sunburn on the top of your head.
Denying Animal instincts, isnt a solution. Looking at the incidences of rape, and child molestation in secluded groups, such as the Puritans(and other groups) shows they are even worse off then the rest of the nation.
You cant control most things in life from happening, by choice or random occurance.. Its better safe, then sorry. wondering WHY your daughter is dieing, ISNT a choice, if this is one.
#11 I think that this virus (or some strains of it) can have a hand in causing various cancers in men.
I worded that section of #6 poorly.
I was wondering if opponents would be less resistant to the vaccine if it was also directly beneficial to boys, instead of being something that will only be given to girls.
Reading the article a little closer I see: The vaccine has not been approved for use in men and boys because Merck did not focus on them in clinical trials.
Men don’t get cervical cancer. They do get prostate cancer.
You can be certain Merck, Pfizer, Glaxo, etc. are searching very seriously for anything that will successfully permit a pill to out perform a surgeon. There is one huge amoount of ca$h at the end of that rainboiw as most men do not even want to think about a sharp, cutting instrument anywhere near their perceived manhood.
#18….BobH…..just what is a mans manhood doing up near his prostrate??? Now….THAT news is REALLY going to upset the right-wing.
This sounds like a big add for the drug companies. I will NEVER let my kids be test subject for the criminal Bush Administration.
After reading your article I thought of giving a comment about Cervical Cancer and to share it with other readers. Cervical cancer affects the cervix region, which lies in the lower and slender part of the uterus. Cervical cancer is most common form cancer in the women folk which comes next to breast cancer. Cervical cancer often occurs with vaginal bleeding.
I cannot believe how the religious right argument can be morally justified. Am i right in thinking they approve of a life threatening disease being a detterent for young girls having sex, that [although false] the argument stands that cervical cancer is a suitable retribution for having sex early. I am a 21 year old woman who is awaiting results from my first pap smear and recently found HPV positive and have been suspectedly for up to 1 to 3 years, my lack of education due to religious schooling may of cost me my life. I am furious at moral evangelists who insist on making women believe their sexuality to be evil and to be feared and ashamed. I have not had many sexual partners, I did not know about HPV until 2 years ago and i didn’t know the symptomotolgy until 4 weeks ago. I am an agnostic, but i cannot believe what people are willing to risk for the alleged honor of their family. Cervical cancer when undetected is a DEATH sentence, it is a painful, invasive, horrid disease – not reserved for the promiscuous, the non-christian. Men and Women are affected by HPV – men can receive the HPV virus why are we not hearing the debate about ethical issues about young men receiving the vaccine. Quite frankly – keep these arguments for your cocktail nights and bible discussions and don’t you dare risk any girl or women’s life!
Learn some science – drug companies or not, you live in a world of gloabalised business. I refuse to believe that people are opposed to the vaccine due to anti -capitalism. On the same principal have you never bought any drug? I am a science student at the university in Australia where the vaccine was developed. If you personally refuse this vaccine fine – I agree with Nadia, you have no right to refuse it for your children.