|
Shooting Down HPV
"Bridget Marr, of the Family Research Council, reacted to the FDA’s announcement by declaring, 'Giving the HPV vaccine to young women could be potentially harmful because they may see it as a license to engage in pre-marital sex.'"
By Rachel Krantz
Listen
to this Commentary!
One of the latest developments in the fight against STDs is a new shot - recently approved by the FDA - that's designed to prevent HPV. Although HPV is not known as a dangerous disease, scientists agree that it's responsible for 70% of all cervical cancers. Youth Radio's Rachel Krantz takes us into the heart of the debate over distributing the shot to young women. (August 27 on KCBS)
When I heard that the Federal Drug Administration had recently approved Gardicil, a vaccine to prevent human papillomavirus, the news seemed too good to be true.
HPV is a sexually transmitted disease responsible for about seventy percent of all cervical cancer cases. Because this vaccine will not only prevent an STD, but also a cancer, it has been recommended by the FDA that it be distributed to woman as young as nine.
Unfortunately the suggestion sounded an alarm among certain Christian lobbyist groups. Bridget Marr, of the Family Research Council, reacted to the FDA’s announcement by declaring, “Giving the HPV vaccine to young women could be potentially harmful because they may see it as a license to engage in pre-marital sex.”
Using the same logic, the distribution of tetanus shots should be prompting kids to stab themselves with rusty needles as we speak. Groups like the Family Research Council keep insisting they only want to protect my health, and I keep trying to protect my privacy.
|
|
