Alexandra Lozano
News Editor

Students at the University of La Verne are split over whether the human papillomavirus vaccine should be mandatory for girls entering the sixth grade.

Of the eight people surveyed, only three agree with experts that making the vaccine mandatory is the best thing for California’s youth.

Assemblyman Ed Hernandez, D-West Covina, is sponsoring a bill that would require girls entering sixth grade to take the three-part vaccine.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, “As many as half of infected males and females with HPV are adolescents and young adults, 15-24 years of age.”
“The vaccine is most effective if given prior to sexual contact,” said Christine M. Archibald, spokeswoman for Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, D-Mountain View, who proposed the bill originally in December. “Thus the reason the Centers for Disease Control’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has recommended that girls aged 11-12 receive the vaccine, and why AB 16 stipulates that a girl must receive it before entrance to the sixth grade.”

However, students disagree.

“That’s too young,” said senior Erika Anderson. “I don’t think any shot should be mandatory.”

“You can’t force people to be healthy,” junior Shana Murphy said. She suggested that the legislature might as well “make it mandatory to eat fruits and vegetables and drink water.”

Currently there is no federal requirement for the vaccine; it is a state-by-state issue.

Texas is currently the only state requiring girls to receive the vaccine.
Other states, including Colorado, Connecticut, Kansas, Michigan and Wisconsin have considered similar bills as well.

In Maryland, the bill is being withdrawn because thousands of students ranging from sixth grade to ninth grade were unable to attend public school for not having other required vaccinations.

Senior Crystal Murguia is unsure about the proposed law.

“Our first concern should be getting them to graduate rather than giving them more excuses to have sex.” However she agrees that as long as there’s no side effects that the bill should remain mandatory for all sixth grade girls. “How many girls and boys are having sex at sixth grade?”

USC Associate Professor of Clinical Pathology Juan Felix supports the bill.

“For those who claim abstinence is as good as a vaccine, I’ll remind them that it is estimated that eight percent of women are either raped or sexually abused; their abstinence is no longer under their control,” Felix said. “If a mandate is not accomplished, the vaccine will not result in a significant reduction of cervical cancer.”

Sonia Saavedra is not a student at ULV but has seen the effects of the disease first hand.

“My mom has HPV,” Saavedra said. “I think it should be mandatory as well as education (about the disease).”

However some students are still uncertain about the age requirement for the vaccine.

“Feels a little young,” Murphy said. She thought eighth grade might have been a better time.

Junior Michelle Ball agrees.

“Maybe when you get your period or first exam,” Ball said.

Felix believes girls need to be vaccinated at an early age.

“If left to voluntary distribution the same women who choose not to receive Pap test will almost certainly not include their daughters in a vaccination process,” Felix said. “These young women would be prevented from its protection. The real benefit of the vaccine would be lost.”

“Nowadays the girls are doing things…I don’t think [the bill] is a bad thing,” senior Natalie Camacho said. She believes the bill should be mandatory.

“Cali girls are crazy,” junior Stephanie Farrell said.

So what is the fate for California?

Will it follow Texas and become the second state to require 11-12 year olds to be vaccinated or will it follow Maryland and withdraw the bill?

“For your information, we are in the process of amending the bill to change the sixth grade requirement to the seventh grade,” Archibald said.

Alexandra Lozano can be reached at alozano@ulv.edu.