HPV controversy
I’ve been noticing a lot of news articles about the controversy involved in making mandatory a recently approved vaccine for human papilloma virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted disease linked with cervical cancer. The proposals in favor of mandatory vaccination seem to revolve around the idea of vaccinating pre-adolescent girls. Critics, as I understand it, are claiming that vaccination against this disease may lead to an increase in promiscuity.
As the father of a nearly-pre-adolescent girl, I find it hard to accept the notion that we should keep around a disease that we have the power to prevent—especially one that could cause cancer!—simply so that it can serve as a deterrent against sexual activity. In fact, I find the whole idea fairly repugnant.
