It is immoral to deny teenagers access to the HPV vaccine?

Question

Consider, before you answer, that HPV can and is spread by rape, not just consensual sex. So if you're certain that your daughter won't have sex before marriage, fair enough, but are you certain that (1) she won't be raped in her lifetime or (2) that her husband will be an HPV-free virgin and will remain faithful to her forever?

Black Jesus, the 4 strands the HPV vaccine defends against are responsible for 90% of HPV related cancer. In other words, the HPV vaccine blocks 90% of HPV cancer. Period.

JumpingJoy, the boyfriend who date-raped me and gave me HPV wasn't recognized by the community as a serial rapist, so your argument kind of breaks down.

Answer 1

The fact that Christian conservatives fight a vaccination program on the grounds that HPV is a valuable impediment to premarital sex, and want to preserve cervical cancer as an incentive toward abstinence, (even if it sacrifices the lives of thousands of women each year) is so completely astonishing that it almost leaves me speechless.

Answer 2

I don't know if anyone is actively denying it. It should probably be on the list of required vaccines for schools, but until they can bring the price down, that might not happen (it costs about $600 at the moment).

Don't even bother with the rape argument - 50% of the US population has a form of HPV, and that can be passed on genetically. You can come down with cancer as a result even if you never have sex. Everyone should get this vaccine.

Answer 3

I do agree that it would be immoral to deny access. However, some of the parents objecting to it being mandatory for all teenagers are not objecting because they think it promotes promiscuity, but because they are concerned that the vaccine hasn't had a long enough trial history, and they don't want to cause more harm to their daughters' health than the prevent. Thus, I think the appropriate stance right now is to make it available, but not to require it, for all.

Answer 4

There are more than 60 strands of HPV. Gardisil protects women against 4 strands. Four measly strands. HPV can be spread through condoms. It is best to teach your daughters abstinence and not rely on a vaccine.

I don't know anyone who is denying the vaccine and I don't know why they would.

Answer 5

Denying them access to the HPV vaccine and universal contraception is perhaps one of the Republicans most heinous acts.

The teen pregnancy rate is already the highest on the planet...

Answer 6

It's immoral to force the vaccine on them since they now know it does have problems.

Thumbs down all you want folks. Money talks and that's why we have drugs that kill us instead of helping us.

EDIT:

(Washington, DC) -- Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, today released documents obtained from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, detailing 1,637 reports of adverse reactions to the vaccination for human papillomavirus (HPV), Gardasil. Three deaths were
related to the vaccine. One physician’s assistant reported that a female patient “died of a blood clot three hours after getting the Gardasil vaccine.”

Two other reports, on girls 12 and 19, reported deaths relating to heart problems and/or blood clotting.
As of May 11, 2007, the 1,637 adverse vaccination reactions reported to the FDA via the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) included 371 serious reactions. Of the 42 women who received the vaccine while pregnant, 18 experienced side effects ranging from spontaneous abortion to fetal abnormities.

Side effects published by Merck & Co. Warn the public about potential pain, fever, nausea, dizziness and itching after receiving the vaccine. Indeed, 77% of the adverse reactions reported are typical side effects to vaccinations. But other more serious side effects reported include paralysis, Bells Palsy, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, and seizures.

NOTE: The rest of the article can be found at the link below.

Answer 7

It is immmoral to force a vaccine on chilren without parental consent. And it is immoral to give the impression of invunerablity to teen sex.
I think that if the vaccine works good! But that should be a choice.
And if your worried about rapist why not vaccinate sexual predadtors? Since their going to rape people anyway...see how that logic works?

Answer 8

Yes. You need to receive the vaccine before potential exposure. Really won't do anybody any good if they have already been exposed and get cancer years later.
Even that nice 21yr old virgin when she is married is at risk, if her mate has ever been sexually active..

Answer 9

It's not immoral, but it certaintly is stupid. As parents, we have to be realistic about out kids. Kids have secret lives, I know I did. I will definitly get the vaccine for my daughter when she is old enough. And to all those who wouldn't, how would you feel if your daughter died or was never able to bear children because of a preventable form of cervical cancer? Bet you wouldn't feel so righteous then.

Answer 10

I'm so tried of fanitical Christians wanting things like HPV and HIV existing because it creates a punishment for fornincators. It's like they rather have you suffer than to be protected.