Mandating the HPV Vaccine for Sixth Grade Girls
The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States (Cook 210). There are over 100 types of HPV viruses and 30 or more of these viruses that can be sexually transmitted. (Vamos, McDermott, Daley 303). There are approximately 20 million people in the United States that are infected with HPV, and there are about 6.2 million new HPV cases each year (Vamos, McDermott, and Daley 303). Even though most HPV cases are non-cancerous, two of the HPV strains are known to cause 70 percent of cervical cancer, and the other two strains cause 90 percent of genital warts cases (Javitt, Berkowitz, and Gostin 384). Mendenhall, Elisa, and O'Mara stated, "Because of the cancer link, the strains that are the greatest medical concerns are those that are sexually transmitted"(49). It is estimated that it costs the United States about five billion dollars each year to diagnose and treat HPV related diseases (Cook 211).
In the fall of 2006, Michigan was the first state to introduce legislation requiring the vaccine Gardasil before students enrolled in public school (Mendenhall, Elissa, and O’Mara 45). Then, on February 2, 2007, Governor Rick Perry of Texas issued an executive order that required all middle school aged girls to be vaccinated against HPV (Javitt, Berkowitz, and Gostin 386). Javitt, Berkowitz, and Gostin stated, "The HPV vaccine is the first to be mandated for only one gender"(390). Governor Perry felt that he had to mandate the vaccine due to his strong belief that this vaccination would be able to protect millions of young women from cervical cancer. "The HPV vaccine is perhaps the first in a long line of cancer vaccines on the horizon, and ...
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Cook, Kristin. "Ethical And Legal Issues Accompanying Legislation Requiring Hpv Vaccination Of Girls." Health Matrix: Journal Of Law-Medicine 18.1 (2008): 209-228. Academic Search Complete. Web. 9 Nov. 2013.
Vamos, C, Mcdermott, R, & Daley, E 2008, 'The HPV Vaccine: Framing the Arguments FOR and AGAINST Mandatory Vaccination of All Middle School Girls', Journal Of School Health, 78, 6, pp. 302-309, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 10 November 2013.
Adams, Heather P., and Erica L. Carnright. "HPV Infection And Cervical Cancer Prevention." Clinician Reviews 23.9 (2013): 42-50. Academic Search Complete. Web. 10 Nov. 2013
Javitt, Gail, Deena Berkowitz, and Lawrence O. Gostin. "Assessing Mandatory HPV Vaccination: Who Should Call The Shots?." Journal Of Law, Medicine & Ethics 36.2 (2008): 384. Publisher Provided Full Text Searching File. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.
There is a war going on against parents that refuse to vaccinate their children. It is coming from the government that makes and enforces laws requiring parents to vaccinate their children, hostile parents of vaccinated children, and doctors that refuse to see unvaccinated children. They are concerned about the potential health risk unvaccinated children pose to the public. These parents aren’t lunatics but are concerned parents that are trying to make the best choice for their children. In fact, these parents aren’t fighting alone; a number of pediatricians and medical experts are apart of this crusade and have taken the lead. They will tell you there is an agenda, “Vaccine manufacturers, health officials, medical doctors, lead authors of important studies, editors of major medical journals, hospital personnel, and even coroners, cooperate to minimize vaccine failings, exaggerate benefits, and avert any negative publicity that might frighten concerned parents, threaten the vaccine program and lower vaccination rates.” 4
(Attention Getter) The Center for Disease Control reports that 100% of sexually active men and women contract genital HPV
...erve the long term effects of the HPV vaccination before a mandation could be issued.
Swan, Rita. 2010. “Equal rights for children under the law” Children’s Healthcare Is a Legal Duty, Inc
The unforgettable story of vaccines is a story of triumph and controversy. The saddest part of the story is persistent ignorance and a lack of education, comingled with the personal need of some parents to explain away the problems of their children, have caused the controversy to arise. The good news is that the triumphant reality of vaccines as a whole is still the larger enduring legacy. The human papillomavirus vaccine is not an exception to this rule; in fact despite all the controversy surrounding the vaccine, it is one of medicine’s greatest lifesaving gifts to us.
Sue Axon, from Manchester, is a mother of five children who filed an amendment over the Department of Health’s updated guidelines in the High Court in 2006. The focus of her action is to honor the rights of the parents over their children in terms of having an abortion and taking contraceptives. She stated that the guidelines given by the Department of Health undermines the roles of parents (BMJ Publishing Group, 2005). Mr. Axon’s attempt failed. Mr. Philip Sales said that implementing the “right to know” of parents will result to discouragement of young women to seek medical advice regarding their sexual
Most people know what vaccines are and have received them during our childhood years; but past that knowledge, most people do not think much about vaccines until we have children of our own. Some parents are more skeptical than others on the topic of vaccinations, but most parents choose this preventative measure in protecting their children from harmful diseases. However, in the case of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, there is quite a controversy as to if it is appropriate to administer the vaccine to pre-teen to teenage children. Genital human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually-transmitted infection in the United States; an estimated 14 million persons are newly infected every year (Satterwhite,
Wallace may have fallen short of persuading readers to vaccinate their children, but recently this has been a very controversial topic. In order to make this a better article, more facts and statistics should have been used to reveal how large of an issue this really is. Overall, Wallace did a nice job of presenting her argument on why parents should vaccinate their children, but in order to make a larger impact different types of resources and references are
A parent who chooses to have their child vaccinated to prevent HPV has the opportunity to prevent their child from getting a variety of cancers. Children and adolescents who receive this vaccination before sexual activity begins have a chance to prevent cervical cance...
"Minors Access to Contraceptive Health Care." Can I Get Birth Control Without Parent Permission?. 12 05 2005. Web. 11 Jan 2010. .
HPV vaccinations have been involved in some heated debates involving the general public and the government for some time now; whether the vaccine is worth being administered to young girls is the underlying question and if so at what cost. In the articles “HPV Vaccine Texas Tyranny” and “The HPV Debate” both authors Mike Adams and Arthur Allen provide enlightening information on why the HPV vaccinations should not be mandated through legislation, Adams conveys his bias and explains how the government is over stepping its boundaries when it comes to the publics’ health while Allen on the other hand, is more opt to present analytical data on previous cases similar to the one he is currently facing.
“10 Arguments in Favor of Pro-Choice Policy.” Advocates for Youth. N.p., 2010. Web. 18 Mar. 2010. .
The case of Roe v. Wade was an important turning point in the public health policy. Before 1973, the state of Texas prohibited legal ...
He received a tremendous amount of support from several doctors and citizens hoping to prevent cancer growth in their children- the future generation. Several studies have shown that the vaccine itself is harmless, with few reports of mild side effects ( National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, 2015). It would protect the lives of millions of children long before exposure to HPV. Parents who supported governor Rick Perry’s order reinforced the vaccine and the numerous amount of benefits it would provide for young girls and the cost efficiency. HPV vaccines would be available to millions of families in the United States through organizations, such as Vaccines for Children, who provide vaccines at a lower cost, if not free, or coverage by personal insurance (Bassett, 2011). For these parents, the benefits human papillomavirus vaccines have outweighed any risks that may come as a result, and there is nothing wrong about caring for the wellbeing of their daughters. A majority of individuals who support Rick Perry’s decision wholeheartedly believe this is the best option to further protect the lives of those who might affected by the sexually transmitted viruses. However, other people express different opinions and concerns regarding the decision, as expected from a country that allows freedom in beliefs and opinions. It is not to say that one group is right, or one group is wrong, simply that each individual thinks differently and will not always agree on the same
Sexually Transmitted Diseases Sexually Transmitted Diseases STDs, a.k.a venereal diseases, infectious diseases passed from one person to another during sexual contact. STDs are the most common infections known. More than 12 million people in the United States, including 3 million teenagers, are infected with STDs every year. The United States has the highest STD rate in the world about one in ten Americans will contract an STD during his or her lifetime. People who do not know they are infected risk infecting their sexual partners and, in some cases, their unborn children. If left untreated, these diseases may cause pain or may destroy a woman's ability to have children. Some STDs can be cured with a single dose of antibiotics, but AIDS cannot be cured. Those most at risk for contracting STDs are people who have unprotected sex—without using a condom, people who have multiple partners, and people whose sex partners are drug users who share needles. Static’s show that Americans between the ages of 16 and 24 are most likely of catching STDs than older adults, because younger people usually have multiple sexual partners than an older person in a long-term relationship. Teenagers may be embarrassed to tell their sexual partners they are infected Teenagers may also be embarrassed or unable to seek medical attention for STDs. This means that they only more likely to pass the disease to other young people and have a greater risk of suffering the long-term consequences of untreated STDs. STDs are transmitted by infectious bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, and single-celled organisms called protozoa that live in warm, moist parts of the body, like the genital area, mouth, and throat. Most STDs are spread while having sex, but oral sex can also spread disease. Some STDs are passed from a mother to her child while pregnant, when the disease enters the baby's bloodstream, during childbirth as the baby passes through the birth canal, or after birth, when the baby drinks infected breast milk. AIDS can be transmitted by blood contact such as open wounds, between people who share infected needles or received through an injection of infected blood. Some people believe that STDs can be transmitted through shaking hands or other casual contact, or through contact with inanimate objects such as clothing or toilet seats, but they can’t. Chlamydeous, is from trachoma is bacterium, is the most commonly transmitted STD in the United States.