Literature Review : Gender Vaccine

In June 2006, Gardasil, a Human Papillomavirus vaccine made by Merck & Co., was licensed for use and brought to the market (“HPV Vaccine”). Gardasil, which is given into a series of three injections, targets the main types of HPV. The types targeted are HPV 6, HPV 11, HPV 16 and HPV 18, which cause ninety percent of the genital warts and are the leading causes of cervical cancer (“Cervical Cancer Symptoms, Causes, Treatments”). Brought to the attention by researchers “combined, those strains affect an estimated 3 million women in the U.S” (“HPV Vaccine”). Since HPV is so common in the United States, the makers of Gardasil are trying to get a law approved that will make the shots mandatory. In 2006,

The HPV vaccine reception has been similar to that of the hepatitis vaccine in that both are seen as an attack on morality, and are considered by some as a license for promiscuity. In the book Vaccine Allen quotes, ‘ “ If a 10- or 12-year-old is given a vaccine to protect against a sexually transmitted disease, then it’s implied they’d be engaging in risky sexual behavior,” said Pia de Solenni, director of “life and women’s issues” for the Family Research Council’ (433). The fact that HPV lives in the sexual organs and is spread by sexual intercourse or intravenous drug use has caused many parents to come to the belief that their children are not at risk. Some parents go so far as to suggest that if

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a killer. It is an awful disease that is the culprit of many deaths each year. We have the means for its prevention, yet HPV vaccination for girls is a controversial topic to some. This controversy carries over to the current question on whether or not males should also be vaccinated. The issue is starting to play a huge role in the media; Fox news recently broadcasted a story on male HPV vaccinations. This story makes clear the benefits that would come from vaccinating males, including a statement from the Center for Disease Control that, “The HPV vaccine will afford protection against certain HPV-related conditions and cancers in males, and vaccination of males with HPV may also provide indirect protection

Although the arguments against vaccines have remained consistent for over two centuries, the ways in which information is disseminated to the public through media has changed. Technological advancements of the internet and social media have allowed everyone quick and easy access to anti-vaccination propaganda. These false messages can negatively influence parental attitudes and beliefs regarding vaccines (LA County Department of Public Health, 2015). Currently, most women of child-bearing age who will be making vaccination decisions for their children are Millennials - a term used to describe those born between 1980 and the early 2000s. Millennials are less inclined than older generations to vaccinate their children. This can mainly be attributed to their utilization of readily available health information regarding vaccines from the media and internet rather than asking and trusting a doctor. For example, a recent study shows that 70 percent of people are influenced by what they read on the internet regarding vaccination information (Kata, 2012). This is a dangerous way to form opinions about health and vaccination, as the information on social media is not scientific, can be created by anyone, and lacks

Human papillomavirus is currently affecting the entire US population without discrimination. To mitigate this, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended that adolescent girls be required to vaccinate at age 11 – 12 while boys were optional (Kepka et al., 2016). Today, adolescent boys are required to vaccinate too. The focus of this research is about adolescent boys age 12 – 15 in the United States (US). However, the study is not focused on assessing the population at risk. Instead, the focus will be on the state and territory immunization programs that are responsible for meeting the Healthy People 2020 goals for HPV vaccination in males. The sample size will be extracted from the population.

HPV is by far the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 50 percent of all sexually active men and women will get it at some point in their lives, and 20 million already have it. A vaccine is available that prevents 70% of cervical cancers that arise from sexual intercourse. The human papillomavirus is unknowingly common and is diagnosed in 10,000 women a year, causing 4,000 deaths per year (“HPV Question and Answers”). If we take the responsibility to vaccinate young girls and boys, to be safe, we can eliminate many unnecessary deaths. This vaccine is a great discovery that should be put to good use, the HPV vaccine should be mandated in young teens everywhere.

Taking away a person’s right to choose can leave them feeling violated and disempowered. Taking away a parent’s right to choose what is best for their child can be even more disempowering and frustrating. A number of people are experiencing such frustration as a result of Governor Rick Perry’s mandate that all young Texas girls must be vaccinated for the HPV virus. In both, “HPV Vaccine Texas Tyranny” by Mike Adams, and “The HPV Debate Needs an Injection of Reality” by Arthur Allen, the authors disapprove of the vaccination mandate; while both articles differentiate in tone, justification of the mandate, and reliability of sources.

Vanderpool et al. focused on whether or not a free voucher, after a brief interview assessing a few HPV related health risks, would persuade women to receive the full dose of the vaccine. It was found that less than 50% of the women that were presented with a free vaccine voucher redeemed it. The variables that were found to significantly predict uptake in a controlled analysis include “in general vaccines are a good thing” - which displayed that women were about 35% less likely to decline the free vaccine voucher - and “I believe that getting the vaccine will be painful,” which showed that women were approximately 27% less likely to decline the free vaccine voucher. The following three variables were not in a controlled analysis but still

Some argue that mandatory HPV vaccine promotes sexual activity. This reason is unique to HPV-related cervical cancer because only sexually active individuals are at risk for HPV and its’ associated problems, which differs from, for example, measles where solely being in the community is a risk factor (Colgrove, 2006). Historically, mandatory vaccinations have focused on these community-risk diseases, and therefore we lack a clear model for casual contact diseases. It’s proven quite difficult to enact any sort of mandated HPV legislation, instead relying on parents and juveniles to eventually make the best decision (Colgrove, Abiola & Mello,

This paper explores my evaluation of five articles that displays and explains the decision of Rick Perry’s 2007 executive order mandating that all girls in Texas 11 years and older receive the HPV vaccine. My evaluation of Governor Perry’s choice is sensible in way but also excessive and intrusive, to make this vaccine a burden to one sex and not the other seems sexist but this vaccine is not the only way to prevent girls and Women in the state of Texas. His decision has sparked many others to criticize the HPV vaccine should be mandatory for boys as well. This subject has created many other alternatives to his decision.

Gender and the Media by Rosalind Gill addresses gender stereotypes that are brought onto women and men through the media resulting in objectification and subjectification. Gill discusses how the representation of gender is altered as a result of the media in Western societies. Gender and the Media is aimed to address the rapid transmission of media and how those changes affect the construction of feminine and masculine gender roles in society. Gill uses her interest in the contradictions of gender construction by society, to analyze gender and the media. Using feminism as a backbone for her research, Gill and many commentators support the idea that feminist ideas are common and may even affect the media. Gender and the Media addresses multiple forms of media: postfeminism in advertising, gender in the news and journalism, and gender in magazines. Gild aims to address the construction of gender representations, elements for gender analysis, and feminist culture with Gender and the Media.

However, shouldn’t it be a woman’s choice if they choose the 70% of cervical cancers or the 0.05% risk? However, the bottom line is that their choice to be vaccinated could save everyone. It’s a simple concept; herd immunity. When everyone is vaccinated, the vaccine is far more effective. One example of herd immunity is polio. Nowadays, polio is not a real threat to the people of the United States because essentially, we are all immune. However, during the 1960’s, this was definitely not the case. Eventually as a vaccine for polio was developed, the virus became far less prevalent because people were being vaccinated. But, do you think that every single person in the United States got vaccinated? No. However, a majority of people did until there was no way or source for the people who were unprotected from the virus to contract it. This same event can occur for HPV. If we make this vaccine mandatory for 11-12 year old girls, before they’re sexually active, the number of people who could pass on the virus would be less and less, until we eliminate the strains of HPV that cause cervical cancer.

In an online survey, the survey administrator and his team asked over fifteen hundred parents of 11-17 year old children whether they agreed that laws requiring HPV vaccination for sixth grade school entry were “a good idea” about half of the parent believed the HPV vaccine, was at least as important as the Tdap and Meningococcal vaccines, the other two recommended for adolescent, only forty percent believed the vaccine prevented cervical cancer. Nearly a quarter of the parents inaccurately believed the vaccine might cause long term health problems and one

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.

The Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the virus responsible for cervical cancer. It is one the most common viral sexually transmitted infections. A vaccine was approved in 2006 that is effective in preventing the types of HPV responsible for 70% of cervical cancers and 90% of genital warts. Proposals for routine and mandatory HPV vaccination of girls have become sources of controversy for parents of school-aged youth, legislators, members of the medical community, and the public at large (Cooper et al. 2010).