Virginia might be one of the first states to add the newly developed human papillomavirus vaccine to the list of required vaccinations for school children.
A bill before the Senate would require girls to receive the first dose of a three-part vaccine before entering sixth grade. Sen. Yvonne Miller, D-Norfolk, said she supports the bill.
“This bill is a way to prevent individuals and families from needless suffering,” Miller said.
HPV is a sexually transmitted disease that can lead to several types of cancer, including cervical cancer. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, cervical cancer kills an average of 3,700 women a year.
If passed, the bill would take effect Sept. 1, 2008.
The State Board of Health Regulations for the Immunization of School Children requires the vaccination, which is free to those unable to pay the current retail price of $120 a dose. The total cost for all three doses is $360.
The Food and Drug Administration licensed the vaccine in June 2006 for use on 9- to 26-year-old females. The recommended age for vaccination is 11 to 12 years. The three shots are administered over a six-month period.
As with all vaccinations required for school children by the State Board of Health, parents may object to their child receiving the vaccine by citing religious reasons or concerns for their child’s health.
Merck, the pharmaceutical company producing the vaccine, lists a disclaimer on its Web site stating, “Only a doctor or a healthcare professional can decide” if the vaccine is appropriate for an individual patient.
The Web site also lists potential side effects such as “pain, swelling, itching and redness at the injection site, fever, nausea and dizziness.”
Several other states are considering HPV vaccination bills, including Maryland, South Carolina, California, Colorado and Texas. A similar bill failed to pass in the Michigan Legislature.
According to the CDC, a genital HPV infection is a sexually transmitted disease caused by HPV. However, many people infected with HPV may never find out about it because the body takes care of it without treatment.
The CDC says there are about 40 types of HPV. The vaccine protects against four of the major types, which collectively cause 70 percent of cervical cancer incidences and 90 percent of genital wart breakouts.
“Approximately 20 million people are currently infected with HPV,” the CDC Web site states. “At least 50 percent of sexually active men and women acquire genital HPV infection at some point in their lives. About 6.2 million Americans get a new genital HPV infection each year.”