"CDC panel recommends HPV shot for boys"
-Amber Kocher
The United States government panel the CDC has now started to recommend that the HPV vaccine (human papillomavirus) should be given to boys. The vaccine was always available for males and female, but this new vote means that the vaccines will most likely be covered under medical insurance now for both genders. This new vote is because HPV can be prevented in both males and females, and not enough teen girls have been getting the vaccine. The vaccine can help prevent various cancer and genital warts cause by the virus. The article states that last year, 49% of adolescent girls received the first of the three HPV shots, while only a third had the full round of 3 vaccines. Doctors think that the low rates for girls is because of misconceptions about the vaccine. A lot of parents don’t understand fully or think that the vaccine is only for adolescents that are sexually active. Also, people like Michelle Bachman say things like she heard the vaccine can cause mental retardation.
This vaccine is a huge step forward in preventative measures for STD’s and long-term effects of diseases and health problems linked with STD’s and unprotected sex. There are some negative connotations around it, but most of them are from being ill-informed about the vaccine. It’s important that young boys know that this vaccine is helpful, and is not just for girls. If this vaccine has all of the benefits that it does, there’s no reason it shouldn’t be available to as many people as possible. Other sources have stated that it is being used in more poverty stricken places such as Africa, where the medical system is not as fortunate as the US. Some people believe that this vaccine should be a requirement for students to attend school. While the benefits of this vaccine are numerous, and there are almost no cons to outweigh the pros, making this vaccine something mandatory and regulated by the government is a violation of personal choice. This vaccine has made leaps and bounds towards eliminating and preventing certain cancers, and it should be readily available to any boy or girl who wants it. But it should be theirs and their parents own decision on whether or not to get the vaccine.
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