Should the Government Mandate the HPV Vaccine?

The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2007, about 11,150 cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed in the United States. About 3,670 women will die from cervical cancer in the United States during 2007.

Those supporting the HPV vaccine note that the vaccine will prevent HPV-16 and HPV-18, which together cause 70% of all cervical cancer.

They see the vaccine like any other mandated vaccination that protects our nation's children from illness and disease.

Many of those against the vaccine believe giving the HPV vaccine to young women may seem to be giving them a license to engage in premarital sex. Those that oppose the vaccine advocate education about the disease and abstinence from sex rather than a vaccination.

Others opposing the vaccine believe that Gardasil® was not tested extensively and may not work or could hold health risks. According to the product insert, there was one case of juvenile arthritis, two cases of rheumatoid arthritis, five cases of arthritis, and one case of reactive arthritis out of 11,813 Gardasil® recipients. There was just one case of lupus and two cases of arthritis out of 9,701 participants receiving the placebo.

Many feel that since this is not a disease you can get by casually contact, but rather a sexually transmitted disease, that the government has no place mandating the vaccine.

On Friday, February 2, 2007, Texas became the first state to require the HPV vaccination.

Texas Governor Rick Perry ordered, beginning September 2008, girls entering the sixth grade will have to receive Gardasil® vaccine against strains of HPV.

Perry also directed state health authorities to make the vaccine available free to girls 9 to 18 who are uninsured or whose insurance does not cover vaccines. In addition, he ordered that Medicaid offer Gardasil to women ages 19 to 21.

The Texas legislation will allow parents to opt out of the vaccine for their daughter by filing an affidavit stating that he or she objected to the vaccine for religious or philosophical reasons.

About.com's guide to cancer, Lisa Fayed, provides more information on the Texas vaccine mandate and HPV.