[VRWCmember]

Would the same people oppose vaccinating children against HIV?

If an HIV vaccine appeared on the market today I would be very leary of embracing it. It would take many years of testing to ensure that it is (1) effective, (2) safe, (3) not likely to cause mutation of more virulent and resistant superstrains of the virus.

It appears to me that Gardisil has been rushed to the market and Merck is running some very heavy promotion and marketing of this drug and now lobbying government to mandate its use.

The best way to avoid either HPV or HIV is to abstain from sex until marriage and then to remain faithful to one marriage partner. The fact that many people choose instead to engage in risky behavior should not mandate that everybody take a vaccination to protect against others' behavior.

[kinoxi]

Abstinence doesn't prevent this unless you are referring to permanent virginity. An unrealistic assumption IMO.

[mnehring]

One of the issues with the media coverage and arguments is they don't tell you that HPV is not just a sexually transmitted disease, there are other ways to catch HPV.

http://www.wdxcyber.com/nvulva04.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/

Children can actually pick up HPV when they are born. There are over 100 strains of HPV, only 30 of which are known to be transmitted sexually.

I still am against mandatory vaccines at this point, but I think the other side is also misinformed about what HPV is.