Sex Act Campaign, January, 2006

Don’t Let “Abstinence-Only” Politics Stop the HPV Vaccine

While most people haven’t heard of Human Papillomavirus (HPV), it is one of the most prevalent STIs in the US. Most commonly known as the virus that causes genital warts, HPV infection is found in about 50% of women who are between 18-22 and sexually active.

There are many strains of the virus—some that commonly clear up without symptoms, some that cause warts, and some that cause lesions that are associated with the development of cervical cancer in later life. About 4000 women in the US die from cervical cancer every year. Worldwide the figure is closer to 300,000 deaths.

In the past year, two pharmaceutical companies—Merck and GlaxoSmithKline—have announced the development of effective vaccines to fight HPV. These are the first vaccines made for the express purpose of fighting cancer.

While the development of anti-cancer vaccines should be cause for celebration, some people are not taking the news well. Some social conservatives fear that the vaccine will encourage promiscuity and teen sex. Because the vaccines are most effective when administered before puberty, some conservatives believe that giving the vaccine to children is tantamount to approval of sexual activity. The “abstinence-only” movement also fears the loss of one of its favorite scare tactics. Because condoms do not entirely protect against HPV, some abstinence-only curricula rely on the fear of HPV infection.

During the Bush Administration, institutions such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have become increasingly tainted by politics, especially in the realm of women’s health. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), part of the CDC, is meeting this month to discuss whether to recommend or require HPV vaccines. According to Advocates for Youth, one member of the ACIP, Reginald Finger, was previously the medical issues analyst for James Dobson’s ultra-conservative Focus on the Family.

Read More!

• “Will the Politics of Teen Sex Stop a Cancer Vaccine?” Advocates for Youth, – a concise and informative article on the political repercussions of HPV vaccines.

• “Cervical Cancer Vaccine Gets Injected With a Social Issue: Some Fear a Shot For Teens Could Encourage Sex” by Rob Stein, Washington Post, October 31, 2005.

• “Good news on cancer? Not for Everyone” by Ellen Goodman , Boston Globe, November 12, 2005.

• “Virginity or Death!” Editorial by Katha Pollitt, The Nation, May 5, 2005

Take Action!

• Support the work of Advocates for Youth, a great organization that lobbies for comprehensive sex ed and the rights of youth to make empowered, educated decisions about sexuality.