Cervical Cancer Shot May Be Standard In 6th Grade

The Indy Channel ^ | September 12, 2006 | AP

[Abathar]

A bipartisan group of Michigan lawmakers wants all sixth-grade girls to be vaccinated against cervical cancer.

A Republican state senator who is the lead sponsor said it's the first legislation of its kind in the U.S.

The vaccine was approved by federal regulators this summer and hailed as a breakthrough in cancer prevention. The shots prevent infections from strains of a sexually transmitted virus -- human papilloma virus, or HPV -- that can cause cervical cancer and genital warts.

At the time, conservatives expressed concern that schools would require the vaccine for enrollment. They argue that such mandates infringe on parents' rights and send a message that underage sex is OK.

If approved, the measure would go into effect for the next school year.

The vaccine was approved for females between ages 9 and 26. In studies, it was credited with preventing disease from the two types of HPV that are responsible for approximately 70 percent of all cervical cancers, according to Detroit television station WDIV.

The legislator who proposed the requirement noted that, as with all other school-required vaccines, parents may opt out of this requirement for medical, religious or philosophical reasons.

[EBH]

HPV is a virus.

[HairOfTheDog]

This thread has a whole lot of hysterics on it and not a lot of common sense.

Actually, I take that back, many here have been arguing with a lot of common sense, and only a couple are in hysterics. . :~)

[Mrs. Don-o]

Males can't, of course, get cervical cancer, but virtually every female who gets HPV gets it from a male carrier. So why isn't it mandatory for all the males to be vaccinated?

[Antoninus]

Are my choices either 1) eradicate STDs through solely behavior modification or 2) lower the rate of infection solely through immunization? Because if my choices are truly that limited I agree it is very important to know. Currently I feel free to attempt to reach this goal using all tools available, but I guess that is a mistake!

Uh, no. Let's try to make this super simple. Would you agree that the root cause of HPV being so widespread is the basic acceptance of casual sex as a "good" thing among a large percentage of the population? Can you at least admit this seemingly irrefutable fact?

[Clara Lou]

I AM concerned at the lack of long-term studies to look at the potential for harm to my daughter's reproductive system and fertility.
Why would you think that an anti-viral "shot" would direct itself towards your daughter's reproductive system? Polio shots are anti-viral. Hepatitis shots are anti-viral. Are you worried about those affecting her reproductive system?

[spatso]

"we could build our own cult of female hedonism including long, hot bubble baths, chocolate, and hot tea plus a good book."

Geez you guys are going to get me in serious trouble. I am telling my wife that I am very busy writing about important theological and medical issues when in fact the discussion involves the reformed pervert Antoninus and others changing ideas on the idea of a comforting bath. Are you people trying to trigger Antoninus into a relapse.

[Antoninus]

Because I basically disagree with you that rudeness is a virtue.

Rudeness can be a virtue, but only as a means of breaking through an otherwise closed mind. Christ himself had a tendency toward rudeness when dealing with the pharisees, you'll remember. As did many, many of the saints.

One man's rudeness is another man's forceful argument. Some men need to be hit over the head with a baseball bat before they can break out of a cycle of self-delusion.

[HostileTerritory]

Um, it's caused by any kind of sex, casual or otherwise. If the husband isn't a virgin coming into his marriage, his wife can get it, even if she was a virgin.

The timing is because of the effectiveness of the vaccine at that age, not because they want 6th graders to go out and have sex. The knee-jerking on this thread is incredible.

[Antoninus]

Geez you guys are going to get me in serious trouble. I am telling my wife that I am very busy writing about important theological and medical issues when in fact the discussion involves the reformed pervert Antoninus and others changing ideas on the idea of a comforting bath. Are you people trying to trigger Antoninus into a relapse.

By continuing to attack me personally, do you really think you are buttressing your argument in a meaningful way?

[linda_22003]

"Some men need to be hit over the head with a baseball bat" What a coincidence; a few of us were thinking something right along those lines. ;-D

[Antoninus]

Males can't, of course, get cervical cancer, but virtually every female who gets HPV gets it from a male carrier. So why isn't it mandatory for all the males to be vaccinated?

I agree 100%. If it's going to be mandatory, it should be mandatory for MEN, not women. Leave my daughters alone.

[linda_22003]

Oh, I can take it even lower than that. AHayes suggested a cup of hot tea; I'd have single malt scotch instead. For bathtime, probably Dalwhinnie or the Balvenie.

[ahayes]

They're testing the vaccine in men now. Vaccinating the people who are themselves going to get the cancer first makes sense. If it's later available for men and women HPV might eventually be eradicated. *crosses fingers*

[Antoninus]

"Some men need to be hit over the head with a baseball bat" What a coincidence; a few of us were thinking something right along those lines. ;-D

Go for it, Linda. I'd never hit a lady. But you can take as many swings at me as you'd like.

[ahayes]

Well, if we're going to expand our repertoire to alcoholic beverages in order to be more depraved I'll suggest gin and tonic.

[Clara Lou]

It's a cancer cause by casual sex.
If it were only that simple. And I suppose it is--for simpletons.
Which means a 6th grader is not going to get it unless she is promiscuous or raped.
In the real world, we know that both of these things happen to pre-teens and teens all too often. Protect them from CANCER. It's just so simple and logical, unless you are incapable of logic.
BTW, have you ever seen someone that you love dies of cancer--ravaged first by treatments, then by the disease itself? I have. It happened to my sister.

[HostileTerritory]

As for my family, we're going to teach them how not to catch STDs.

Unless you adopted your future sons-in-law at birth and are raising them under your constant surveillance... good luck with that.

[linda_22003]

Aw, you know I'm teasing. At any rate, we've wandered a little from the central point; I don't think ANYONE here disagrees on the "government mandate" question. We all think this is up to families.

[WolfRunnerWoman]

Perhaps the folks that want to punish their own daughters for being sexually active should be allowed to opt out of vaccination. Later on down the road when their girls can’t give them grandchildren, they can be comforted by the fact that they did what they thought was right. Also, those attitudes will eventually die off, quite literally.

It's a win/win situation for everybody but the girls.

[wagglebee]

In the real world, we know that both of these things happen to pre-teens and teens all too often.

So, you would support government-mandated contraceptive implants for all girls at the onset of puberty?