The debate over HPV vaccines is taking center stage in the fight for the White House.
In a recent debate, Republican Presidential candidate Michele Bachmann criticized front-running Rick Perry for signing an order requiring middle school girls in Texas to get vaccinated against the human papillomavirus, known as HPV. In the following days, she linked the vaccine to mental retardation.
Medical experts have roundly disputed the claim, calling it irresponsible and dangerous. Some have expressed concern that nervous parents would take the claim as fact and refuse to inoculate their children.
The American Academy of Pediatrics later shot back with this statement, "The American Academy of Pediatrics would like to correct false statements made in the Republican presidential campaign that HPV vaccine is dangerous and can cause mental retardation. There is absolutely no scientific validity to this statement. Since the vaccine has been introduced, more than 35 million doses have been administered, and it has an excellent safety record."
"It's the obligation of politicians to know the facts before they talk about vaccinations. They should understand how they work, how important they are and how much work goes into recommendations for their use," said Dr. Deborah Wexler, executive director of the Immunization Action Coalition, a vaccine information clearinghouse for doctors and the public. "It harms our vaccination program when public figures make statements that are untrue and do it in an emotional statement," Dr. Wexler said.
Bachmann has since ratcheted her comments back. "I am not a doctor. I am not a scientist. I'm not a physician," Bachmann told Fox News when asked if she personally believed a Gardasil injection could cause retardation.
HPV is a sexually spread virus that can cause cervical cancer. The vaccine is designed to protect against cervical cancer.
There are currently two HPV vaccines on the market, GlaxoSmithKline's Cervarix and Merck's Gardasil.
Multiple studies have shown the vaccine is safe with minor side effects like pain at the injection site. For now, doctors say it's a safe and effective way to protect against cervical cancer.
In the U.S., about 6 million people, including teens, become infected with HPV every year. Approximately 4,000 of those women will die from cervical cancer each year.Read more about HPV.
Currently, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Academy of Family Physicians all recommend that girls receive HPV vaccine around age 11 or 12. That's because this is the age at which the vaccine produces the best immune response in the body. Health officials also want to protect girls well before they become sexually active.
Meanwhile, opponents of required HPV immunizations argue parents should have the ultimate say on the HPV because it's aimed at stopping sexually transmitted diseases spread by risky behavior.
Do you think children should be vaccinated against HPV? Have your children gotten the vaccine? Why or why not? Should it be part of the standard inoculations children receive? Or should parents have the ultimate say? Leave your thoughts below.
