Virginia Gov. Kaine's Announcement To Sign Bill Requiring HPV Vaccine Brings 'Much-Needed Sense' To Debate, Editorial Says

Main Category: Cervical Cancer / HPV Vaccine
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology;  Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 14 Mar 2007 - 18:00 PST

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Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine's (D) announcement on March 1 that he would sign a bill (HB 2035) that would require sixth-grade girls to receive a human papillomavirus vaccine beginning Oct. 1, 2008, unless their parents opt out of the requirement "brought some much-needed sense" to the "increasingly irrational national debate" about mandating HPV vaccines, a Washington Post editorial says (Washington Post, 3/9). The legislation, approved by the Virginia General Assembly last month, would require parents to be given information about the HPV vaccine, after which they could request that their daughter not receive it (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 3/9). According to the editorial, the "undisputed effectiveness" of the vaccine has been "[b]lurred" in the debate over state mandates. However, the Virginia legislation -- which does not require parents "to cite any reason" for opting out of the requirement and will not keep a girl "out of school because her parents" opted out -- "properly balances parental rights and the government's role in promoting public health," the editorial says. "For a virus so widespread and potentially harmful, an opt-out regime, which will lead to higher rates of immunization than one asking parents to opt in, makes sense," the editorial says, adding that government health workers "must ensure a good public information campaign and help make the vaccine affordable to the needy" (Washington Post, 3/9).

Related Commentary
KQED's "Perspectives" on Thursday included a "Youth Radio" commentary by Alana Germany, a "Youth Radio" correspondent in California, which is considering HPV vaccination legislation. Germany says, "I think since there is a vaccine available, everyone should be able to get it, regardless of their financial situation," adding, "But even if I'm able to get it for free, that doesn't mean I will." She concludes, "I'll feel a lot more comfortable getting the vaccine after there are more statistics ... about its effectiveness over time" (Germany, "Perspectives," KQED, 3/8).

Audio and a transcript of the segment are available online.

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