Virginia Gov. Kaine Proposes Dropping Written Opt Out Requirement In HPV Vaccine Bill

Main Category: Cervical Cancer / HPV Vaccine
Article Date: 29 Mar 2007 - 3:00 PDT

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Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine (D) on Monday in a statement said he proposing an amendment to a bill (HB 2035) requiring girls entering the sixth grade to receive a human papillomavirus vaccine to "clarify that a girl's parent or guardian has complete discretion to decide whether their child should be vaccinated," the Washington Post reports (Somashekhar, Washington Post, 3/27). Kaine earlier this month said he would sign the legislation, approved by the General Assembly last month, which also 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, 3/2). The measure would require parents who do not want their daughter to receive the vaccine to submit to their daughter's school a letter saying they want to opt out of the requirement (Washington Post, 3/27). Under Kaine's amendment, parents would not be required to submit a letter and would be given an opportunity to review materials explaining HPV's link to cervical cancer (Kaine release, 3/26). Merck's HPV vaccine Gardasil in clinical trials has been shown to be 100% effective in preventing infection with strains 16 and 18, which together cause about 70% of cervical cancer cases, and about 99% effective in preventing HPV strains 6 and 11, which together with strains 16 and 18 cause about 90% of genital wart cases, among women not already infected with these strains (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 3/26). FDA in July 2006 approved Gardasil for sale and marketing to girls and women ages nine to 26, and CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices later that month voted unanimously to recommend that girls ages 11 and 12 receive the vaccine. GlaxoSmithKline next month plans to file for FDA approval of its HPV vaccine Cervarix, which also has shown to be 100% effective in preventing infection with HPV strains 16 and 18 (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 3/2). Kaine in a statement said, "While I believe that this vaccine shows great promise for preventing cancer, I believe that the decision to administer this vaccine should be made by parents." The General Assembly will consider Kaine's amendment when it reconvenes for a one-day session on April 4, the AP/Newport News Daily Press reports (Gelineau, AP/Newport News Daily Press, 3/26).

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