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One step forward . . .
Gov. Perry's HPV vaccination mandate is a bad way to push a good idea
By: Amanda Kiser
Issue date: 2/23/07 Section: Opinion
At $360 for the series of three shots, Gardasil isn't cheap and opponents are uncomfortable with spending taxpayers' money on STI protection. When one considers that there are 5.5 million new HPV infections every year in America and 9,710 new cases of cervical cancer - internationally, the most common cancer for women - the long-term benefits of eradicating HPV would be well worth the cost of administering the vaccine.
Requiring a vaccine for an STI is a touchy subject, and has many conservatives concerned about parental rights.
"I don't think government should ever presume to know better than parents what to do with children," Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst told the press. While this opinion might cause Dewhurst and his like-minded colleagues to oppose Child Protective Services, it won't cause a problem with Gov. Perry's order, which allows parents to opt out of the immunization.
By bypassing the legislative process in making a controversial decree, Perry shot himself in the foot. Mandating an immunization so soon after its approval is unprecedented and unwise, as there has not been enough time to explain the benefits of the vaccination and of requiring it to the public, who are now likely to reject it.
Despite Perry's blundering effort to institutionalize the administration of this immunization, it is still important for girls to be inoculated. Most insurance providers are now covering Gardasil, so if you have insurance, get to your doctor. If you're one of the 46 million Americans living without insurance, Governor Perry's executive order also provides the vaccination for many low-income and uninsured women; you might qualify. Or, put that health services fee to good use and give A.P. Beutel Health Center a call. HPV is a devastating disease; you owe it to yourself to make every effort to stay safe.
Requiring a vaccine for an STI is a touchy subject, and has many conservatives concerned about parental rights.
"I don't think government should ever presume to know better than parents what to do with children," Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst told the press. While this opinion might cause Dewhurst and his like-minded colleagues to oppose Child Protective Services, it won't cause a problem with Gov. Perry's order, which allows parents to opt out of the immunization.
By bypassing the legislative process in making a controversial decree, Perry shot himself in the foot. Mandating an immunization so soon after its approval is unprecedented and unwise, as there has not been enough time to explain the benefits of the vaccination and of requiring it to the public, who are now likely to reject it.
Despite Perry's blundering effort to institutionalize the administration of this immunization, it is still important for girls to be inoculated. Most insurance providers are now covering Gardasil, so if you have insurance, get to your doctor. If you're one of the 46 million Americans living without insurance, Governor Perry's executive order also provides the vaccination for many low-income and uninsured women; you might qualify. Or, put that health services fee to good use and give A.P. Beutel Health Center a call. HPV is a devastating disease; you owe it to yourself to make every effort to stay safe.
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