MistressMorgan

The Drugmaker Merck & Co. is pushing to pass state laws requiring girls as young as 11 or 12 to receive the drugmakers new vaccine against the sexually transmitted cervical-cancer virus. The vaccine protects girls and women against strains of the human papillomavirus, or HPV, that are responsible for most cases of cervical cancer. The company recommends that girls get the shot before they become sexually active. There are 3 shots in the procedure and cost about $350. Most insurance companies already cover the shots and the projected sales of the vaccine are in the billions. This could be the first vaccine to help eliminate a cancer, but does making a state law infringe on parental rights? Some more conservative states that preach abstinence think this vaccine might encourage premarital sex.
I personnally dont see this vaccine any differently than any other vaccine we get. The chance to eliminate a cancer should be reason enough to put personal beliefs about premarital sex aside. What do you think?

__________________

_gwenibe_

Well,I don't there is really a huge need to make it compulsory to get it done. Like you said, it's like any other vaccine we get.

I think enough women will get it done, by their own choice for their health, there is no need to force it. I don't think the amount of people who won't get vaccinated because of their beliefs will matter much, they aren't in the majority.

As for encouragint premaritial sex, I don't think it will change a thing in that area.

__________________

worldpeace2529

I think it should be a law, yet i think it should be free. well where, u might ask, will the U.S. get the money to sponsor it? well my answer is, stop the war in Iraq, and use the money on stuff like this here in U.S.

Kasai

I agree. If they wish to make a law about a required vaccine? They need to pay the money for the vaccinations. There are many families without health insurance and are unable to afford many health related medicines.

__________________

atomik_sprout

I heard about the vaccine on the news yesterday.

I don't preach abstinence, and I'm not really the poster child for anti-premarital sex. BUT, I can say this: The targets for the vaccine are 11-12 years of age. Kids aren't stupid, and most kids learn about sex at that age (my school peer education group used to go around to other schools to teach sex ed).

If you were to give a child (the key word here is CHILD) a vaccine to a virus thats spread by the act of sex, then that kid--with his/her knowledge of sex and whatnot--will automatically assume that it's okay to start having sex in the sixth grade. It's bad enough we have boatloads of 14-16 year old teens getting pregenant and having kids, not to mention the fact that most teen dads don't do anything for thier kids until it's too late.

I don't agree with giving kids vaccines for STD's. It's like giving my three year old sister a condom and saying, "Go for it, kid. Have fun."

__________________


http://www.myspace.com/boondocksamurai

MistressMorgan

Well im a little surprised at how little response this thread got but maybe it just doesnt effect very many people yet. Anyway I read in the newspaper yesterday that Texas has made it officialy required. I wonder how people who live there feel about it. Im kind of surprised that they were the first. I was under the impression Texas was a conservative state.

__________________

deodaclan18

I don't think it should be required cause it should be the persons choice if they want to get the vaccine. It's their body after all, and I'm totally against it if texas is making these people pay for the vaccine when they are forcing them to get it.

sangogirl

The age of the vaccine seems a little young but at the same time there are a lot of parents out there who don't really care about their kids health so maybe this will help with getting parents give it to the kids. Also if it mandatory it makes it easier for people to get help to pay for the shot.
Also i agree with a earlier post stop the war on iraq and use that money to help us here.

__________________

MistressMorgan

I think the goal is to give it to them before they become sexually active.

__________________

gren

The reason that the recommended age for starting the vaccine is 9-11 years old is because it's more effective at that age, and most girls at that age have not had sex, so chances are that they haven't already been infected by HPV.

If you really think kids will figure it's okay to start having sex with anyone and everyone just because they've been vaccinated against HPV, maybe you should remind them that AIDS, Hepatitis B, chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, syphilis, etc. are all spread by sexual contact. Besides, when teens become sexually active, they're more worried about unwanted pregnancies that STDs. I don't know if the HPV vaccine should be mandatory, but I do think that its opponents should come up with a better argument than "it'll make kids want to have sex".