HPV Vaccine Controversy

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Infectious disease has jeopardized human well-being ever since its existence. However, infectious disease met its match as the scientific breakthrough of immunizations provided mankind a defense system. Still, there is opposition towards vaccines. A vaccine that has been a recent center of controversy is the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. In Rhode Island, there is a mandate requiring students entering the seventh grade to get the HPV vaccine. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015), HPV is the most common STD which is associated with cervical cancer, other cancers and genital warts. Rhode Island is attempting to reduce the number of HPV cases through the vaccine requirement. This essay will examine the government’s role in the Rhode Island mandate, the viewpoints of those who support and oppose the mandate, and the relevance of the HPV vaccine in public health. Due to their success, HPV vaccines have gained an overwhelming support. Supporters of Despite all of the benefits of the HPV vaccine and its overwhelming success,…show more content…
The American Civil Liberties Union released a statement (2015) on the situation: “Encouraging preventive measures to protect children's health is extremely important, but so is a child's right to an education… we encourage the Department of Health to formally clarify that school districts should not exclude children from school solely because they do not receive the HPV vaccine,” Most will agree that the ethics of taking school away from the public is not ethical……………………..One notable figure who has strongly opposed the HPV vaccine is the former 2012 presidential candidate Michelle Bachmann. In a debate, she claims that the usage of the HPV vaccine will increase premarital sex (Hooker, 2014, p. 270-271). Although they are a minority, opposers of the HPV vaccine still have reasons behind their

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