UK: Parents may boycott cervical cancer jabs after MMR controversy

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www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article4669971.ece

UK: Parents may boycott cervical cancer jabs after MMR controversy

From The Times

September 4, 2008

Nicola Woolcock and Rose

Girls aged 12 will be inoculated from today in a nationwide schools

programme against a virus that can cause cervical cancer. Many are

expected to boycott the jabs, however, because parents are fearful of

vaccines after the MMR controversy.

The Government began an advertising campaign yesterday to raise

awareness. Some families complained, though, that they had received

too little information too late to make a decision. In a trial last

year a fifth of parents refused permission for their daughters to

have the injection.

About 600,000 girls will be vaccinated initially, followed by a

catch-up programme for older teenagers. It will give protection

against strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV), considered to be

responsible for 70 per cent of cases of cervical cancer, which kills

more than 1,000 women a year in Britain.

Recent criticism of the Government over its choice of vaccine,

Cervarix, has fuelled debate. Although most parents appear to be in

favour of inoculation, some are concerned that Cervarix has not been

tested sufficiently, while others have been scared by stories

claiming that girls have suffered extreme reactions to a similar drug

in America. A few are worried that vaccinated girls will be less

likely to have smear tests and more inclined to have sex at a young

age. A third of those who did not allow their daughters to take part

in the pilot study in Manchester gave long-term safety as the reason.

Margaret sey, of the National Confederation of Parent Teachers

Associations, said too few people knew about the new programme:

" There certainly hasn't been any parent consultation with

organisations, as far as I'm aware. "

Jabs, an advisory group that aims to promote understanding about

immunisations, has been contacted by anxious parents about the

cervical cancer programme. Its spokeswoman, Jackie Fletcher, said:

" There is a number of questions we want answered, such as how will

the vaccine affect prepubescent girls? There have been only very

limited trials. A large number of adverse reactions was reported in

the US for the drug they use, such as collapsing, seizures and paralysis. "

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Sheri Nakken, former R.N., MA, Hahnemannian Homeopath

Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Nevada City CA & Wales UK

Vaccines - http://www.wellwithin1.com/vaccine.htm

Vaccine Dangers & Homeopathy Online/email courses - next classes Sept 08