Argumentative essay: HPV vaccines should be mandatory at all schools
The human papillomavirus (HPV) has been named the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. The virus affects more than 6 million people annually. Most of the people that are infected annually are between the age of 14 and 24 years. The virus has been considered the main causative agent of cervical cancer (Ferris, 349). Despite the high rates of the virus, it can be prevented by administering a vaccine that is fit for individuals between the age of 9 and 26 years. However, the CDC recommends that the virus be administered between 11 and 12 years. The Pediatric and Pharmacy Advocacy group has endorsed the safety and efficacy of the virus. Studies show that the vaccine is fit for all adolescent girls. Studies have proven the vaccine’s efficacy in protecting young women from the cancer-causing strain of HPV (Ferris 348). This paper shall offer argumentative discussions about whether HPV should be made mandatory at all schools.
Background
Certain types of HPV have been associated with different types of cancers, especially cervical cancer, anal, penis, vagina, and oral cancers. Type 16 and 18 of HPV cause more than 70% of cervical cancers and precancerous cervical lesions (Ferris 350). Fortunately, the virus has a vaccine that can be used to reduce the infection rate and, thus, the incidence of cancers. However, it is very important that the vaccine is administered at the right time and, therefore, raises the need to have the same being done in schools. However, the issue has had many issues being raised by various stakeholders due to various concerns. Consequently, it has been very difficult having the vaccine being mandated across all the states (Klein and Luedtke 51). There lacks proper information about the need for the vaccine, and therefore, the controversies around the same.
The CDC publishes a schedule every year for immunization based on the benefits and risks of the vaccines on the individual children. However, the mandate for immunization is developed by states. Therefore, the states have the power to declare that children will not be enrolled in certain schools unless they undergo certain immunizations (Klein and Luedtke 51). However, some states allow parents to decline some vaccines if they have valid reasons, either medical or religious. Sometimes parents reject some of the vaccines if they feel that the drugs do not offer as much benefit as the risk they predispose their children to. However, the CDC recommends the need for mandating some of the vaccines to the states.
In most cases, mandating vaccines has been difficult, considering that the stakeholders do not always agree. However, most of the process’s disagreements are due to a lack of sufficient information about the vaccine or even misinformation (Klein and Luedtke 47). In most cases, the parents are the ones who are likely to derail the process considering that some may hold different religious beliefs and others whose concerns are informed by politics. In the HPV vaccine, one of the concerns has been health risks to which none has been proven. For instance, some parents have raised an issue concerning the relationship between the vaccine and barrenness in some cases. There were allegations that the vaccine causes women to become barren in the future. However, studies have not shown a correlation between the vaccine and this condition (Perkins, et al. 423). Other concerns include those of finances where there have been political factions that insist that mandating the vaccine will cost the nation so much. Therefore, it is important to ensure that all these concerns are addressed before planning to roll out such a program.
Also, most people who lobby against such an initiative lack understanding of the importance of the vaccine because they lack an understanding of the impact that the virus can cause or causes on the nation (Perkins, et al. 425). Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of death among midlife women. More costs are incurred in the treatment and the management of cervical cancer than would be used to treat the same. One of the reasons the management of cervical cancer has had very negative outcomes is that it is diagnosed quite late in most cases. Most women are diagnosed when the signs are already showing, most likely in the second stage. Despite that there has been an increase in the efforts to treat the same, especially through screening, it is also not effective considering that no cure for cervical cancer has been found (Viscidi 824). Therefore, even if precancerous have been found, sometimes the patient still goes to advanced cancers as different treatments may fail. Consequently, prevent the incidence of cancer in the first place is very important.
Overview of the pros of cons
Studies indicate that at least 85% of people will get an HPV infection in their lifetime. Of the infections, not all of the infections will lead to cancer, but studies have shown that the virus causes most cervical cancer cases. About 14 million Americans are infected with the virus each year (Viscidi, 825). Of these cases, a majority of the infections are gotten at teenagers. Most of the infections are fought by the body system but those that persist lead to cancers. Therefore, by introducing the vaccine, the incidence of all the cancers caused by the virus is reduced significantly. Studies targeting cervical cancers indicated a drop of more than 40% in the incidence rate (Viscidi, 824). Therefore, instead of treating cervical cancer, it would be easy to prevent the condition by preventing the virus’s infection to predispose to cancer.
HPV vaccination is the most effective primary prevention strategy for cervical cancer. In this case, preventing cancer is better than treating it. However, it is important that the strategy is effective to ensure that the expected outcome is met. In most cases, people go for screening early detection (Christensen and Heffernan 117). However, even after the disease has been detected, it is difficult to treat the condition, and, in most cases, cervical cancer will still advance as the patient undergoes treatment. Therefore, the government must think of administering the vaccine at the right time instead of treating and using more resources in screening. Consequently, administering the vaccine offers benefits through the prevention of suffering that comes with the disease and reduces the cost of screening and treating for these cancers.
Considering these benefits, it is important to have the vaccine being administered in school. Studies have shown that the right age for vaccination is between the age of 9 and 11 years. Despite that the vaccine can be administered up to 26 years, it is most effective if administered at the age of 9 years (Christensen and Heffernan 117). Most children are not sexually active at this age, and therefore, most of them do not have a possible infection. Consequently, if the vaccine is administered at this age, it is possible to have all possible infections reduced significantly. Parents should, therefore, allow their children to receive the vaccine at this age where the right place to offer it is in schools (Jama 234). By offering the vaccines in schools or making it a requirement for enrollment, it is possible to reach all the targeted children more effectively.
Most of the cervical cancers are recorded around mid-age between the age of 35 and 45 years of age. However, studies show that most cervical cancer cases have developed over a long period and are only diagnosed at this age. For most of the people, they are infected either in their teenage or their mid-twenties. Therefore, by vaccinating at the age of nine, the vaccine will protect individuals across all these ages (Jama 234). The vaccine has been proven to work for a long time. Studies have also indicated that the vaccine has no notable harm on the children or even a side effect later in life. Vaccination should be encouraged at the age of nine and made mandatory for all children at schools.
Unfortunately, the vaccines have been faced with a lot of opposition, considering that there are so many other vaccines that exist, and most of these are mandatory. Scanty information exists about these vaccines’ interactions, and therefore their interaction is not yet understood (Jama, 238). There has been speculation that the interaction of these vaccines may cause genetic defects in children. Therefore, until there is enough information about the effects of the multiple vaccines on the children, making this drug mandatory may also seem like a risk to the children or their generations (McCarthy). Consequently, more studies must be conducted regarding the vaccine, its level of efficacy, and possible reactions to different people. Currently, the vaccine is not yet available to everyone.
Proof
The awareness level for HPV is still significantly low as most people do not know the effects of the virus on their health. In many cases, HPV does not always have symptoms, and therefore in many cases, people may not see the need to get tested or immunized against the same. However, it is important that parents and other stakeholders realize the possible effects of the conditions and promote better outcomes in preventing various types of cancers (Perkins, et al., 426). Considering that the vaccine can protect people of all ages, it is undertaken at the right age to be protected despite the age that the infection comes. Consequently, having the vaccination at school age ought to be mandated.
Conclusion
Vaccination against HPV is a key and effective strategy as a primary preventive measure against cancers and, most significantly, cervical cancer. The vaccine is most effective when administered at the age of 9 years and, therefore, the need for making it mandatory in schools. Schools can collaborate with healthcare providers to administer the vaccine in school or have the children given the vaccine in healthcare facilities but make it a requirement for enrolment. Despite the vaccine’s benefits, there is still a significant lack of knowledge amongst parents and teachers. Thus the level of rejection the vaccine has faced.