State Looking to Promote Sex Require HPV Vaccine

By Timmy Watson in News on Feb 4, 2007 9:00PM

Approximately 50 percent of sexually active men and women get the Human papillomavirus (HPV) at some point in their lives. High risk type of HPV is the main factor cervical cancer and now the state is looking at making the HPV vaccination a requirement for 11 and 12-year old girls.

According to the CDC, "For 2004, the American Cancer Society estimates that about 10,520 women will develop invasive cervical cancer and about 3,900 women will die from this disease." Most of the women who have developed the cancer did not have regular screenings that could have prevented it.

As part of the proposal, which is being led by State Sen. Debbie Halvorson, girls would barred from school if they have not received the vaccination (which is the case with a slew of shots students must have). With 18,000 uninsured, Halvorson estimates it would cost around $4 million initially.

The clinical trials of the vaccine, which includes three shots, showed astounding results. Of those given the shots, none contracted the HPV-16 (the virus focused upon in the study) and twenty-two of the women developed abnormalities in the cervix, but these abnormalities were not associated with HPV. This is contrasted by those that received the placebo, of which 41 of the subjects developed the HPV-16 virus.

The biggest opponent of the bill will most likely be conservative religious groups, who have come out against the mandatory vaccination because it belittles the more realistic goal of abstinence. Medical conditions and religious affiliations will be valid reasons to be exempt, but we say keep your abstinence education if you want, just let them get the damn shot.