Most people are against requiring schoolgirls to be vaccinated against a sexually transmitted disease that causes cervical cancer, according to a national survey conducted by a university in Pennsylvania.

The vaccine, Gardasil, protects against the human papillomavirus, known as HPV. It was approved by the federal government in 2006.

At least 41 states have introduced legislation that would require the vaccine for girls or would fund vaccinations or education programs, said the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communications, which conducted the survey.

Texas received national attention this year when it required schoolgirls to get vaccinations.

In Pennsylvania, Gov. Ed Rendell has said he wants to evaluate the drug’s effectiveness, safety and public acceptance before deciding if it should be required.

Nearly half of the participants in the Annenberg survey opposed mandatory vaccinations. About 16 percent supported it, and about 35 percent were neutral.

A majority of respondents supported the concept of doctors recommending the vaccine to eligible people, that the government should pay for the vaccine for people with no insurance, and that health insurers should be required to cover vaccinations.

HPV, which is spread through sexual contact, is considered the main cause of cervical cancer, which about strikes about 10,000 women annually in the U.S.

A panel of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the vaccine for girls who are 11 and 12 and catch-up vaccinations for women up to age 26.

source

The sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer also sharply increases the risk of certain types of throat cancer among people infected through oral sex, according to a study being published today.

The study, involving 100 people with throat cancer and 200 without it, found that those infected with the human papillomavirus were 32 times as likely to develop one form of oral cancer than those free of the virus. Although previous research had indicated HPV caused oral cancer, the new study is the first to definitively establish the link, researchers said.

And Anti Vaccine supporters are still screaming the vaccine that COULD prevent this should not be mandated?

Why?

People! Teens are having oral sex because they think it’s SAFE sex. Like it or not, you’re going to have to talk to your teen about it and you’re going to have to speak in a way that will likely be uncomfortable, but you MUST get your point across IF you choose to go against the vaccine.

I’d be interested how you’ll respond when you have to tell your child you COULD have prevented this if you hadn’t been such a hard ass fighting politics!

source Washington Post

Tags: Human Papillomavirus, HPV, Cervical Cancer, Genital Warts, Gardasil, STDs, STIs, OBGYN, Vaccination Information, CDC