Action alert: OPPOSE HCR 71 on HPV vaccination
From Hawaii Right to Life
Urgent action is needed to OPPOSE HCR 71, which would use taxpayer funding to provide the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to indigent patients, to teens through the Teen Vax program, and to pressure private insurers to require patient vaccinations. The HPV vaccination would be administered to girls as young 11 years of age.
The bill language makes the false claim that HPV vaccination results in "few or no side effects" when, in fact, there have been documented serious adverse effects worldwide, including many deaths. Moreover, a number of studies, including those published in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology and the Journal of Medical Virology indicate that HPV may be transmitted through non-sexual contact, including from parents to infants. Currently, HPV screening prior to vaccination is not routinely done.
We believe that rather than foist HPV vaccination on unsuspecting young women (particularly minors) as a "silver bullet" that magically wards off HPV and cervical cancer with allegedly "few or no side effects" it should be between patients and their doctors to review the facts and decide whether the HPV vaccine should be administered.
Given the facts currently available, it's evident that choosing whether or not to administer the HPV vaccination does not rise to the level of a public health concern that should involve the government. Given this, and especially given that there are serious health risks involved, it is not the role of government to make decisions of this type for patients, particularly minors, that should instead be made as an informed decision by families with input from healthcare providers.
***Action needed: submit your online comments through Wednesday, March 30 AND contact Health Committee Chair Rep. Ryan Yamane and the other members of the committee through Thursday, March 31 to let them know you OPPOSE HCR 71.***
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For all our lives,
Karen DiCostanzo
President
Hawaii Right to Life
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