Caplan on college meningococcus vaccine requirements

Last week, MSNBC.com published a story titled, "Killer at college: Meningitis threatens students; Mandatory vaccine for deadly bacterial disease sparks debate." The story provides a detailed account of the threat posed by bacterial meningitis on college campuses and efforts by many states to require vaccination for college freshmen (or a signed waiver declining the vaccine). More information about meningococcal vaccination is available from this CDC website, and details about SanofiPasteur's Menactra (the vaccine recommended for adolescents) is available here.

In response to this story, Penn's Art Caplan wrote a commentary for MSNBC.com that was posted last Thursday: "Students' meningitis shots should be required." He writes, in part,

"Americans do love choice. But they also hate to lose a child, a sister or a granddaughter. Sometimes choice ought to yield to common sense and evidence. We ought [to] be doing all we can to get young people vaccinated against meningitis and to make sure that the costs of doing so are covered."

The importance of this issue was illustrated by tragic news on our own campus Sunday of the death of a Penn sophomore from bacterial meningitis. Here is coverage from The Daily Pennsylvanian and The Philadelphia Inquirer.

At Penn, all students living in on-campus dormitories are required to be vaccinated with Menactra or sign this waiver citing medical contraindications or religious objections to the vaccine. (This policy is in accordance with a 2002 Pennsylvania law.)

News reports note that the victim lived off-campus during the current school year, but nearly all Penn students live on-campus during their freshman year, making it likely that the vaccination requirement applied to the student one year ago. No information has been made public regarding her vaccination status.