Let parents decide on inoculation of children

Seemingly, the most unappealing aspect of getting this vaccine — or talking about HPV — would be convincing a child to have three shots over a six-month period. My eldest child is still mad at me for insisting upon the Meningococcal vaccine, which was a two-parter.

But the alternative is not very appealing, either. The Feb. 28 issue the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that nearly one quarter of the nation's female population, ages 14-59, may have the sexually transmitted infection human papillomavirus. That's roughly 25 million women. This rate of infection was higher than any previous estimates. Public health officials say this infection rate is a very strong argument for widespread vaccination against HPV.

Perhaps the most troubling argument against undergoing the series of HPV inoculations is that young women will be more promiscuous than ever. If they are, they're fools. AIDS/HIV is still lurking out there. So are genital herpes, syphilis, gonorrhea, Hepatitis B and unplanned pregnancies. Those are some pretty convincing reasons not to be promiscuous. They're also good reasons to have frank, age-appropriate discussions about human sexuality with our kids throughout their childhoods.

Recently, the Utah Legislature passed a bill that will establish a program within the Utah Department of Health — with no additional funding — to educate girls and women about cervical cancer. As introduced, the bill would have also provided the vaccine to people who wanted it but did not have insurance coverage, and established an education program. The overall price tag was $1 million.

It's unfortunate the original version didn't pass because the bill's sponsor, Rep. Karen Morgan, D-Cottonwood Heights, had good instincts. There's an obvious need for education about this virus and the new vaccines. It also makes sense to make it available to those who have no insurance coverage. Best of all, the bill did not create a sweeping mandate.

It brought the issue to the forefront of discussion in Utah. Hopefully, parents will continue this conversation at home and decide the best course for their children and families.

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Marjorie Cortez, who recalls long lines in her elementary school for childhood vaccination clinics but has no memory of the school asking the permission of parents before undergoing these inoculations, is a Deseret Morning News editorial writer. E-mail: marjorie@desnews.com.