Schools deny girls cervical cancer jabs on religious grounds (UK)

[cbayer]

Female pupils not being offered potentially life-saving vaccine at schools that oppose premarital sex
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Press Association
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 18 July 2012 02.01 EDT




Schoolgirls are being denied a potentially life-saving cervical cancer jab at their schools on religious grounds.

Some schools in England have opted out of the HPV vaccination programme because their pupils follow strict Christian principles and do not have sex outside marriage. The jab guards against two strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV) virus – 16 and 18 – which cause 70% of cases of cervical cancer. It is offered routinely to girls aged 12 to 13.

But an investigation by GP magazine found 24 schools in 83 of England's 152 primary care trust (PCT) areas were opting out of the vaccination programme, many of them on religious grounds.

The magazine found the majority of schools opting out did not tell their local GPs, where the girls could be offered the vaccine.

More at link

[2ndAmForComputers]

1. Enlighten the non-doctor here.

Can't that disease be caught by non-sexual means?

[cbayer]

2. It is generally sexually transmitted by heterosexual intercourse.

[2ndAmForComputers]

3. Generally => not always.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cervical_cancer#Causes

Infection with some types of human papilloma virus (HPV) is the greatest risk factor for cervical cancer, followed by smoking.[8] Other risk factors include human immunodeficiency virus.[8] Not all of the causes of cervical cancer are known, however, and several other contributing factors have been implicated.

[Jim__]

4. According to wikipedia, the vaccine protects against HPV-16 and HPV-18 which are sexually transmitte

Wikipedia:

Both vaccines protect against the two HPV types (HPV-16 and HPV-18) that cause 70% of cervical cancers, 80% of anal cancers, 60% of vaginal cancers, and 40% of vulvar cancers.[5] These HPV types also cause most HPV induced oral cancers, and some other rare genital cancers. Gardasil also protects against the two HPV types (HPV-6 and HPV-11) that cause 90% of genital warts.[2]

HPV-16 and HPV-18 are sexually transmitted.

HPV-16:

HPV 16 is transmitted through sexual contact with an infected person. The only full-proof way of protecting against HPV 16 infection is by practicing abstinence. Having a monogamous relationship with one sexual partner known to be disease-free helps to prevent infection. The HPV types that cause cervical cancer are sexually transmitted, but there is little evidence that infection can be avoided by behavioral change, such as condom use. Nonetheless, condoms should still be used. They reduce your chances of getting or spreading STDs. Prophylactic vaccines against HPV infection are likely to have high efficacy, but are not yet available for use.

HPV-18:

Attacks --> transmitted through sexual contact; infection rates are higher among women with
several sexual partners.

[cleanhippie]

5. Hooray! I love it when superstition trumps science.