Phila. Inquirer weighs in on HPV vaccines

Today, the editorial page of the Philadelphia Inquirer offers its take on HPV vaccines with an editorial titled "Cervical cancer vaccine: Give it a fair trial." Voicing its support for the vaccine, the editorial questions the validity of concerns that HPV vaccination could lead to increased promiscuity among teenagers. They write,

"Without doubt, sexual abstinence is far and away the best course for teenagers. But the abstinence issue is mostly about values, urges and emotions - not about distant health risks that few teenagers would take seriously.

The sure harm from shelving an effective vaccine for cancer far outweighs the dubious harm that vaccination might do to teenagers' moral judgment."

You can read our previous posts this month on HPV vaccination matters here, here, and here. We'll be tracking editorials and op-eds on the vaccine here between now and June, when key decisions are expected as to licensure and recommended use. If you come across opinions in your hometown newspaper, let us know.