Should vaccination for HPV be mandated for teenage girls Essay

Should vaccination for HPV be mandated for teenage girls - Essay Example Opponents of this mandate argue that mandating the HPV vaccine would increase sexual activity among teenagers and jeopardize abstinence education (Rettner, 2011). As such, there is need for educating the public about the dynamics of the HPV vaccine. The debate manifests a collision between two fundamental topics in American healthcare mandatory vaccination and teenage sexuality (Donahou, 2013). The question on the morality of a vaccine for a sexually transmitted infection and the question of parental rights in regards to mandatory vaccination dominate the debate (Donahou, 2013). However, by analyzing the prevalence and incidence of cervical cancer in the U.S and the ability of the HPV vaccine to address this health problem, I would agree that the vaccine is necessary. Moreover, medical organizations, the federal government, and medical professionals guarantee the safety and effectiveness of the HPV vaccine. The HPV vaccine will enable significant numbers of young women to play a major role in curbing cervical cancer that claims too many lives in America. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approximate that about 20 million people in the United States are suffering from HPV while about 6.2 million people get the HPV infection every year through sexual transmission (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2014). The two organizations estimate that about 4,000 women die from cervical cancer caused by a HPV infection every year (Rettner, 2011). Since there is no cure for HPV, it is very wise to seek prevention measures for this epidemic by encouraging teenage girls to take a HPV vaccine (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2014). The target audience for this vaccine is clearly prone to the HPV infection since it affects at least half of sexually active people in their lifetime (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2014). With the existence of more than 30