Mandatory Cervical Vaccine for Girls Ought to Be Opposed in U.S Introduction Cervical cancer is a type of abnormal and malignant cell growth on the cervix (birth canal), which causes the common death for American Women. Infected by Human Papillomavirus (HPV) through sexual contact is the main contributor to cervical cancer. According to American Cancer Society’s (ACS) (2017) estimation, around 12,820 people will newly have cervical cancer and about 4,210 people will die from that in 2017. Therefore, it is urgent to decrease the rate of cervical cancer at women. A three-shot Gardasil series vaccine approved by the FDA for girls started to prevent cervical cancer in 2006. There are more than forty types of HPVs and the majority …show more content…
It is unethical to the public. The intention for Merck, who developed the Gardasil vaccine and lobbied hard for the mandatory cervical vaccine for girls, seems to make a profit from the Gardasil vaccine. The government should respect and protect people’s legal and moral rights. The mandatory cervical vaccine program for girls represent that the government is using the autocratic leadership power on public health decisions. Based on the Utilitarian Ethics (Foilist, 2010). the legislators considered to maximize “good” outcome by mandating the vaccine to decrease cervical cancer in women, and minimizing “bad” outcome that even though it has side effects on certain population. The legislators control over the decisions regard cervical vaccine through mandatory process. This type of leadership is not effective; it may create conflicts with the population who have different views regarding their rights to decide either take or not take of this vaccine for …show more content…
According to NPR (2011), the Gardasil will cause $400 on each person. The Mandatory cervical vaccine program will pay money for a portion of the public; it will increase the health care burden. The other portion of the public may need to pay the cervical vaccine by themselves, since many insurance companies may not even have coverage for this vaccine. In addition, this vaccine only covers few HPV strains and the side effect of the vaccine varied in different people. Many doctors did not recommend this vaccine. Instead, they consider Pap smears are more effective and less expensive, which is useful for early cervical pre-cancerous detection (Shapiro,
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 human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that is very common throughout the United States and worldwide (World Health Organization (WHO), 2016). There are over 100 different forms of the virus with 13 of these types being capable of causing cancer (WHO, 2016). HPV can lead to the development of serious health problems. Theses health problems are especially an issue for adolescent women due to the highly increasing STD rates among this age group (Kostas-Polston, Johnson-Mallard & Berman, 2012). There is a vaccine for many of the common types of HPV, however, many parents are refusing to vaccinate their daughters for various reasons. With the rising cases of STDs, less birth
Unfortunately, there is not a vaccination to protect against every type of cancer. However, the Gardasil vaccine guards against certain strands of HPV that cause 70% of cervical cancers in women. When caught early, the Human papillomavirus is treatable, but after the virus has developed into cancer, there is no cure. Therefore, the person affected begins a painful, uncertain journey to try to save her life. The Encyclopedia of Women’s Health states, “Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection may be the most common viral sexually transmitted disease (STD) in this country. As many as 30 million Americans are infected with HPV, and each year, an additional 1 million people become infected.” (“Human Papillomavirus”). When this many people are affected by a disease that can become cancer, it would be doltish not to use available resources to prevent it. “Nationally and internationally, the HPV vaccine will significantly
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.
These parents do not completely agree with either side of the issue. Neutral parents will vaccinate their children for the more serious diseases, and less severe ones like the HPV vaccine, such as Gardasil they will not allow. Neutral parents find that the ingredients in HPV vaccine are toxic and will cause damage to their child later on; ingredients such as amorphous aluminum hydroxiphosphate sulfate, and sodium borate. Aluminum a component within amorphous aluminum hydroxiphosphate sulfate and has been known to cause brain damage and intellectual dysfunction, aluminum also is known to be linked to dementia. Sodium borate is an insecticide, which can cause convulsions, and other serious effects. The HPV vaccine also only prevents from two strains of a cancerous Human Papillomavirus, not all forms. “The Pap Smear and other tests are available to screen for cervical cancer. The Pap smear, which has been around for more than 70 years, is a better prevention approach than Gardasil will ever be.” (Perlingieri). To these parents HPV vaccines are too risky and Pap smears are better
Should schools require students to have the HPV vaccine? Human Papilloma Virus better known as HPV is a sexually transmitted infection that has the slight chance of becoming cervical cancer. Requiring that the vaccination for HPV be administered at the age of eleven before entering school is unjust and in reality unnecessary. The vaccine only protects against HPV for four to five years. Most eleven year olds do not even think about sex, and by the time they do have sex the vaccine is no longer effective in preventing HPV. The vaccine also cost upwards to four hundred dollars making families that can not afford it have to either go into debt or avoid the vaccine. Parents should be the ones to decide wether a child gets the vaccine.
Prophylactic vaccination against high risk human papilloma virus 16 and 18 represents an exciting means of protection against HPV related malignancy. However, this strategy alone, even if there is a level of cross protection against other oncogenic viruses, cannot completely prevent cervical cancer. In some countries cervical screening programs have reduced the incidence of invasive cervical cancer by up to 80 percent although this decline has now reached a plateau with current cancers occurring in patients who have failed to attend for screening or where the sensitivity of the tests have proved inadequate. Cervical screening is inevitably associated with significant anxiety for the many women who require investigation and treatment following abnormal cervical cytology. However, it is vitally important to stress the need for continued cervical screening to complement vaccination in order to optimize prevention in vaccines and prevent cervical cancer in older women where the value of vaccination is currently unclear. It is likely that vaccination will ultimately change the natural history of HPV disease by reducing the influence of the highly oncogenic types HPV 16 and 18. In the long term this is likely to lead to an increase in recommended screening intervals. HPV vaccination may also reduce
What if a young girl cannot afford or choice not to get the vaccine what is the outcome for them, and then if girls get the vaccine can it really stop young girls from getting Cervical cancer. Adams discuss that “ Cervical Cancer is prevented in a hundred other ways, including adequate sunlight exposure and vitamin D consumption, supplementation with probiotics, adequate intake of selenium and zinc, increased consumption of trace minerals and iodine, regular physical exercise and many other safe, natural, non-patented strategies” (447). Does anyone know really if the HPV vaccine will really stop the profit of cervical cancer? The Center of Disease control and Prevention: reported that the number of new cases has fallen to about 50,000 in 2005 according to Morbidity and Mortality Weekly report of March 16 (449). Allen points out that the women who did receive the vaccine had no major side effects. In other case Cervical Cancer strikes 14,000 American women each year killing one-fourth of them (449). If a young girl, a parent doesn’t want their daughter to get the vaccine or even has second thought about it, they should make a doctor appointment yearly to check for Cervical cancer. Then the next thing to do if the young lady does need the HPV vaccine is learn more about the vaccine and decided if they want to go in that direction for their daughter.
There are many reasons that this vaccine could be beneficial, not only to our society, but to many of the underdeveloped nations of the world in which HPV and cervical cancer are still considered to be an epidemic (MacDonald). It could save the young women who get the vaccine from the future trouble of dealing with a highly invasive cancer, as well as protect them from the embarrassment that comes with contracting a venereal disease. However, the controversy of this topic is not in whether the vaccine is a benefit to women’s health, which many, including the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control, believe that it is; but in the debate over whether it is the parents’ right, not the states’, to choose what is best for their child. The question of mandatory vaccination raises medical, moral and legal issues that are not easily reconcilable (Lovinger). Many parents are opposed to the mandating of this vaccine for three reasons. First, HPV is not spread by casual contact, as are the other diseases that children are vaccinated against for the safety of the classrooms. Second, the vaccine has only been approved for a short while, thus not all of the side effects and long term effects are known. Last, parents are afraid that by getting their child vaccinated against a sexually transmitted disease they will be encouraging promiscuity. Gardasil would become the first vaccine mandated for school-aged children that targets a
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.
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).
In the United States, cervical cancer is known as one of the most common cancers amongst females and it is estimated that 1/3 of the females diagnosed will die (Parkin, Bray, Ferlay, & Pisani, 2005). HPV 16 is the most common detected virus in cervical cancer patients, but there are 14 HPV types that are considered high-risk (Parkin, Bray, Ferlay, & Pisani, 2005). HPV is related to cervical cancer as the virus changes the cells of the cervix and causes cervical dysplasia, which untreated, leads to cancer (Dizon & Krychman, 2010). Examining the problem from a global perspective, Biological Study on Cervical Cancer (IBSCC) study group, concluded that “HPV DNA was detected in 93% of the tumors and … HPV 16 was present in 50% of the specimens…” (Bosch, Manos, Muñoz, Sherman, Jansen, Peto & Shan, 1995). This group collected samples of 1000 patients whom were diagnosed with stage 3 cervical cancer from 32 hospitals in 22 countries (Bosch, Manos, Muñoz, Sherman, Jansen, Peto & Shan, 1995). As, represented earlier with current statistics, it’s evident that more people are diagnosed each year with cervical cancer that have HPV present
Gender biases concerning the Gardasil vaccine typically emphasizes the theme of women needing protection when it comes to intercourse, while women are also typically held accountable for educating and protecting themselves and their partners (Thompson, 2010). Young girls and women often have to meet certain criteria and conditions to be labeled as “the responsible self-made citizen” by investing in self-managing strategies such as getting the HPV vaccine (Davis & Burns, 2014). Despite the fact that both men and women can carry HPV and
The first reason for the implementation of HPV vaccination is to reduce the high mortality rate of cervical cancer. According to WHO (2017) cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women and in 2012 more than 270,000 women died from the cancer, in particular 85 percent of the death occurred in less developed regions. That explains the cervical cancer is a serious threat to women’s health all round the world, especially in low and