Thursday, February 08, 2007

HPV/cervical cancer vaccinations

Texas Governor Rick Perry last Friday signed an executive order making that state the first in the country to require schoolgirls to be vaccinated against a sexually transmitted virus causing cervical cancer, bypassing the legislature altogether. Comparing this vaccination to the one for polio, Perry told CNN.com that “if there are diseases in our society that are going to cost us large amounts of money, it just makes good economic sense, not to mention the health & well-being of these individuals to have those vaccines available.”

Opponents to Perry’s action are arguing that the general assembly should have heard from doctors, scientists, and patients before the State’s implementing such a directive. As a matter of fact, there is a bill in the Texas House calling for the education of the public about, and promoting the immunization against, HPV.

The move toward requiring HPV shots for teenage girls began soon after the Center for Disease Control & Prevention made the recommendation last summer. A USAToday article this morning said there were now 23 states and the District of Columbia having some sort of HPV vaccination or study legislation. Ohio and Indiana are among that number.

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