Area Lawmakers Take Action on HPV Vaccine
Lawmakers in each jurisdiction of the D.C. metro area have taken action on Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and school immunization requirements in recent months.
If you have questions about the HPV vaccine, or whether it is required as an immunization in your school district this year, consult your child's pediatrician or school guidance counselor.
According to the CDC, HPV is the viral group that causes genital HPV infection. Infrequently, HPV infection leads to cervical cancer. Cervical cancer rates in the District of Columbia are higher than those in many other areas, and some have argued that childhood vaccination against HPV could reduce rates of cervical cancer here. Others are concerned that the vaccine has not yet proven safe, however, and some maintain that requiring childhood vaccinations for a sexually transmitted disease (STD) is incompatible with their religious or moral positions. It isn't surprising, then, that Virginia, Maryland and DC have each arrived at different conclusions related to vaccination policy.
The Virginia assembly recently approved H2035 and S1230 pertaining to HPV vaccination requirements for students. In Maryland, HB1049 and SB774 provide for additional study regarding the vaccine, before any school guidelines are changed. In DC, B.17-0030 is still awaiting congressional approval.
Previously on on the D.C. Medical Malpractice Law Blog, we have posted articles about broader school immunization requirements in the District of Columbia, Maryland and in Virginia.
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