The HPV Vaccine Mandate Controversy

Risk Messages About HPV, Cervical Cancer, and the HPV Vaccine Gardasil: A Content Analysis of Canadian and U.S. National Newspaper Articles

“…As time progressed after FDA approval, the concern of pharmaceutical industry lobbying of legislators was prominent in U.S. newspapers and eventually shifted the focus away from the benefits of the HPV vaccine. The consequences of this political action of pharmaceutical lobbying on the dissemination and discussion of the HPV vaccine were reiterated in research and opinion papers on the topic (Haber, Malow, & Zimet, 2007;Wynia, 2007). Concern over changes in sexuality and promiscuity tended to be more prominent in Canadian newspapers due to responses to schoolbased vaccination programs from Catholic school boards in Ontario.…”

“…Although the vaccine was introduced within a short time span in Canada (July, 2006) and the U.S. (June, 2006), different courses of action occurred in the implementation of the vaccine. In the U.S., controversies surrounded a swift executive order by Texas Governor Rick Perry in February 2007 requiring girls entering middleschool (11 and 12 years old) to be vaccinated against HPV (Haber, Malow, & Zimet, 2007). This legislative action occurred amid reports of Merck & Co. contributing funds towards Governor Perry's re-election campaign.…”

“…In both countries, the involvement of many stakeholders, each with a distinct objective, and the sensitive nature of vaccination programs for a STI being targeted to young girls, contributed to the mixed reactions from the public and health officials alike. In both countries, HPV vaccination campaigns were deemed failures due to the preoccupation with mandates and legislation rather than the vaccine itself and ''sensationalist'' media reporting (Dyer, 2007;Haber, Malow, & Zimet, 2007).…”

Acceptability of school requirements for human papillomavirus vaccine

“…22 For HPV vaccination requirements, all currently proposed state regulations offer provisions allowing parents to "opt out" of giving their daughters HPV vaccine, 10,23 although opt-out provisions differ by state. 7,24,25 In the two jurisdictions where laws on requirements for HPV vaccination have already been enacted, Washington DC and the state of Virginia, parents can opt out for any reason. 10 States will also have to weigh the potential downside of opt-out provisions, given that in geographical areas with broader exemptions for other required vaccines, decreased vaccine uptake and an increased incidence of vaccine-preventable disease has been observed, as compared with areas without such exemptions.…”

Controversy Undermines Support For State Mandates On The Human Papillomavirus Vaccine

“…1 Medical professionals, public health experts, politicians, and parents disagreed about the merits of legislative mandates concerning the HPV vaccine. 2,3 Although many in the medical community supported the vaccine for its protective potential, other groups and parents criticized the mandates. Some opposed immunizing preteen girls against a sexually transmitted disease or believed that the vaccine would encourage sexual promiscuity.…”