The HPV vaccination presented by Gerasil in 2006 has caused a controversy in the realms of science, religion, and philosophy. With nearly 6 million new cases of HVP every year, the vaccination itself has not been the issue, however it is the compulsory use of the vaccination that has been proposed in most states and implemented in a few that has caused a scene. James Colgrove of the New England Journal of Medicine presents the varying positions concerning the compulsory use of the vaccination and the arguments for and against it. The larger arguments against the vaccination have come from religious organizations who claim that the vaccination undermines the abstinence only prevention methods concerning sexual activity. They feel that the message to remain abstinent accompanied with a vaccination to prevent an STI would be the same as presenting birth control options along with an abstinence method. Another group of opposition is the libertarian ideology that would claim that the compulsory vaccination would be an imposition on the parent’s right to choose what is or is not good for their child. The argument for the mandatory vaccination and the apparent view of the author is that simply having the vaccination available will not ensure that the maximum amount of protection is achieved against HPV. The staggering numbers of new cases of HPV and cervical cancer are causing medical experts to call for the vaccination to be more available and even compulsory in the very near future (Colgrove, 2006). An interesting note made by Dr. Benjamin Brewer of the Wall Street Journal was concerning the limited clinical use of the vaccine. He took a stance against the mandatory vaccination in his article stating that in a recent study out o...
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...ing education for it as well as an affordable option to have it administered because it will indeed help the number of women who fall under the 3.4% infected with that that one strain of HPV to drop. However, a mandatory vaccination for an STI that is self inflicted is unfair to those who chose to remain sexually abstinent. I believe that the lifestyles of all Americans should be respected as long as they don’t infringe on the rights and safety of others. These lifestyles include the promiscuous student as well as the student who wishes to remain sexually abstinent and unvaccinated.
References
Brewer, B. PhD (2007). The Doctor's Office: Why Mandatory Vaccine Might Not Be the Answer; Online edition. The Wall Street Journal.
Colgrove, J. (2006) The Ethics and Politics of Compulsory HPV Vaccination. The New England Journal of Medicine. 355, 23, 2389-2391.
The article “People Should Not Be Allowed to Refuse Vaccination” focuses on the dangers people who choose not to vaccinate are opening to others. The argument stems from the ease with which disease can spread through an unvaccinated community and the threat this poses to those who cannot vaccinate. Because of this danger the author of the article believes vaccination should not be left to choice, but required for the good of public safety.
“Vaccinations are causing a major upsurge in childhood diseases, adult maladies, and even deadly ailments such as Gulf War Syndrome and Lou Gehrig’s disease” (Blaylock). Every now and then an individual’s doctor calls telling them about the latest vaccine they should receive. The person immediately schedules a time to come in and get it done. But do they even give a second thought about it? Have they ever thought that maybe they do not need another vaccination? Many people have not taken the time to seriously think about the process of immunization. The truth is, there are many dangers that the average person should be unaware of. Rarely do vaccines actually accomplish what the public has been told. In fact, a lot of vaccines contain harmful substances that have been linked to disorders such as autism. The lack of education and dishonesty from doctors are putting people in danger of health problems without even realizing. Many parents feel obligated for their children to get vaccinated because of school, not knowing they have the alternative option of refusing immunization.
Vaccines are becoming increasingly hazardous for many children and parents are not being informed about the safety of their children. Current reports are linking vaccines to serious life-threatening disorders such as asthma, autism, immune system dysfunction, and mental retardation (Williams). These recent revelations are causing an increasing amount of people to claim religious and medical exemptions from vaccines. From 1999 to 2006, exemptions have more than doubled from 9,722 to 24,919 (Cronin). It is very clear that vaccinations are posing many problems for parents everywhere. Each day researchers are finding out about vaccines and are realizing that there are a lot more risks than benefits. Dr Phillip F. Incao explains: “Today, far more children suffer from allergies and other chronic immune system disorders than from life-threatening infectious disease. It is neither reasonable nor prudent to persist in presuming that the benefits of any vaccination outweigh its risk” (qtd in Spaker). While infectious diseases are becoming uncommon there is no need for any person to get vaccinated.
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.
It seems clear that, even though there are some relative risks, the HPV vaccine is a necessary addition to a child’s vaccine schedule. In an in-person interview with a family practice nurse practitioner, she expressed the following as her medical advice to unsure and unnerved parents. “When faced with a concerned parent, I explain to them this about his or her decision. Even if your child is a virgin until they get married, their partner might not be and your child would then be at the same risk in adulthood as they are now as a teenager. If someone could then tell you that a vaccine could prevent a majority of cervical cancer for your child later on in life, then that is a pretty big deal. This vaccine also prevents contraction of the STD and its genital warts.” (Flores, Joey). This medical professional is in the majority with the consensus of her peers, but it seems that there is still a low vaccination rate, even 10 years after the vaccine was approved. According to a 2014 study conducted by the CDC, there is still an overwhelming amount of concern among parents. The main reasons for concern documented are lack of knowledge, feeling that the vaccine was not needed or unnecessary, safety/side effect concerns, not being recommended by the child’s physician, and the child not being sexually active at the current
19. Moran, Nicola E. et al., ‘From compulsory to voluntary immunisation: Italy’s National Vaccination Pland (2005-2007) and the ethical and organizational challenges facing public health policy-makers across Europe’, J Med Ethics, 34 (2008):
By 2006, vaccines for Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR), Hepatitis A and B, Chickenpox, and Hib were created and licensed. Vaccinations for these diseases, as they were created, would be required of students enrolled in school (“Government”). Today, the most common vaccines required by
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Public confidence in immunization is critical to sustaining and increasing vaccination coverage rates and preventing outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs)” (para. 1). In recent history, there has been a significant decline in public confidence because of a variety of factors, such as vaccination does not always mean immunization, vaccines expose children to toxins, and children can build immunity naturally. The number of parents who are choosing not to vaccinate their children is growing yearly because there are certain exemptions that parents can claim, even if the vaccine is mandatory in their state.
Through the years, controversy has surrounded vaccinations such as, whether or not they have harmful side-affects, are a government scheme, or simply unnecessary. Parents today have a choice whether or not to vaccinate their children, but should vaccinations be choice? By mandating vaccinations, fewer people are likely to contract diseases. Although vaccines have been subject to scrutiny, vaccines have worked for many years, are not harmful, and use safe ingredients.
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.
Vaccinations have significantly reduced the disease rate throughout the world. Usually, vaccines prove to be between 90 and 99 percent effective. This reduces disease and mortality rate by thousands every year (Jolley and Douglas 1). On average, vaccines save the lives of 33,000 innocent children every year (“Vaccines” 1). In addition, if a vaccinated child did contract the vaccine’s targeted illness, that child would, in general, have more mild symptoms than an unvaccinated child that contracts the same illness. These vaccinated children will have less serious complications if they do contract the disease; they will be much more treatable, and have a lower risk of death (Jolley and Douglas 2). The risks of not vaccinating greatly outweigh the small risks of vaccination. Diseases like measles and mumps can cause permanent disability. While there i...
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
Wiesel, E. (2004). Disease prevention through immunization: Beginning of health care reform. S.l.: Diane Pub Co.
In the United States, there is a rising problem that is not going anywhere anytime soon, that is if we, as citizens, don 't change it. This problem is causing billions of dollars and people 's futures all because schools would rather teach ignorance than the truth. What’s the problem? Sex education. Although sex education may not seem like a rising conflict, it is actually one of the top controversial topics in our country regarding education. According to Brigid McKeon, “Each year, U.S. teens experience as many as 850,000 pregnancies, and youth under age 25 experience about 9.1 million sexually transmitted infections (STIs)” (McKeon). This number is so unbelievable to any sane person, but somehow schools still won 't take the initiative to teach realistic sex education. Sex education can be taught in two different procedures- comprehensive or abstinence only. The difference between the two methods is that comprehensive sex education teaches abstinence as a secondary choice, so that teens who decide not to wait are well educated on how to keep themselves protected. Comprehensive sex education should be required in every single public school because it is the most effective method on how to keep teenagers well informed and prepared.
...tions and fifty percent of them were from young adults ages 15-24 (CDC). “Every year around nineteen million Americans get an STI infection and out of that nineteen million, nine million of them are young adults between the age 15 to 24” (STD Statistics). We want statistics like these to go down not stay the same or go up. They are not going to go down unless we do something about it. The more people getting viruses, the better chance our children are going to have sex with someone that has a virus and does not know it. There will be a domino effect passing viruses down from generation to generation if something does not change. It is a parent’s job to want the best for their children, education, health and knowing all about everything that can change their lives drastically. More sex education in schools could change the direction that people’s lives are heading.