Cervical Cancer Vaccine Continues to Spark Debate

His committee doesn't consider recommending mandating a vaccine until it has been available for a long period of time, so that they can properly judge the demand, Abramson said. "We never discussed mandates, because it was way too early," he noted.

Because HPV is sexually transmitted, it also doesn't present the same risk as diseases that are transmitted by more casual contact, he added. "Most of the things we have mandates for are things that are high-risk in a school setting," Abramson said. "If someone walks into a school with measles, it's going to rapidly spread to those who aren't protected. Hopefully, you are at lower risk for HPV in school."

Money is also an issue. "I am very opposed to kids being kicked out of school, because parents can't afford the vaccine, and states can't pay for it," he said.

Finally, most state-proposed mandates include an easy way for parents to waive the HPV vaccine requirement. That worries Abramson, because it might make it easier for parents to opt out of other mandated vaccines, as well. "That will harm our other vaccines," he said.

Mandates aside, Abramson said he does support young girls being voluntarily vaccinated against cervical cancer. "My two daughters have already gotten their first dose," he said.

Because the vaccine is only effectivebeforesomeone is exposed to HPV, girls should start being vaccinated when they are 11 or 12, Abramson said. "The reason for that is that there was data presented to us [on the CDC advisory committee] that showed that by the time kids enter ninth grade, 25 percent of males and females are sexually active," he said.

Despite some public opposition to mandates, many medical professionals feel strongly that the vaccine should be mandated, because it can prevent up to 70 percent of cervical cancers.

"HPV is responsible for a significant amount of morbidity and mortality related to venereal warts and to the development of pre-invasive and invasive cancer of the cervix," said Dr. Ralph Anderson, chairman of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of North Texas Health Center.

There are about 10,000 new cases of cervical cancer diagnosed in the United States each year, and about 4,000 women die of cervical cancer each year, Anderson noted.

"If the vaccine was given universally, it would eliminate about 90 percent of the venereal warts, and it would eliminate about 70 percent of the cases of cancer of the cervix," Anderson said. "About 30 percent of the types of cervical cancers are caused by one of the types of HPV not represented in the vaccine."

To those who think that money is an issue in mandating the vaccine, Anderson said they need to prove that it costs more to vaccinate girls than to treat them for cervical cancer later in life.

"It costs $300 to get the vaccine. If you get cancer of the cervix, it will probably cost $100,000 to treat it, and then a lot of those people die," he said. "Show me that it's more expensive to give the vaccine than not give the vaccine. The cost concern is a smokescreen."