Debate emerges over making HPV shot mandatory
The injections are now being targeted toward girls aged 11 to 13, before or at the start of puberty, when they have yet to be exposed to any of the viruses caused by sexual activity.
According to Joffee, this brings up another ethical dilemma: Should a young girl be able to decide whether or not to be vaccinated, or should that decision rest in the hands of an authority figure?
Joffee said he believes the decision of whether or not to get the vaccination to be a personal one.
"As much as possible, we want people to make informed and voluntary choices about getting vaccinated."
At Hopkins, though the vaccine is not mandatory, it is offered in the Health and Wellness Center. It is an expensive immunization: the cost is $141 per shot, and the vaccine is not complete without three shots. Some insurance companies refuse to cover Gardasil as well, and students who have the University's insurance plan are not covered and must pay out-of-pocket in order to receive the shot.
This is yet another factor that sparks debate over whether or not the shot should be mandatory - if the immunization were required, insurance companies would have no choice but to cover the process.
Freshman Melisa Karabeyoglu said that she thinks the shot is too expensive for most college students to afford out-of-pocket.
"The shot is very expensive - it should be subsidized by the government if it is going to be mandatory. However, I think that it is a good idea for all college students to receive it before they come to live on campus, so it should be mandatory for college."
There are many students who feel that the HPV vaccine is an overall positive development.
Freshman Sarah Feich has received all three of the required shots. She said she believes that the vaccination should be made mandatory.
"It prevents so many types of cervical cancer … I think it does more good than harm."
According to Joffee, this brings up another ethical dilemma: Should a young girl be able to decide whether or not to be vaccinated, or should that decision rest in the hands of an authority figure?
Joffee said he believes the decision of whether or not to get the vaccination to be a personal one.
"As much as possible, we want people to make informed and voluntary choices about getting vaccinated."
At Hopkins, though the vaccine is not mandatory, it is offered in the Health and Wellness Center. It is an expensive immunization: the cost is $141 per shot, and the vaccine is not complete without three shots. Some insurance companies refuse to cover Gardasil as well, and students who have the University's insurance plan are not covered and must pay out-of-pocket in order to receive the shot.
This is yet another factor that sparks debate over whether or not the shot should be mandatory - if the immunization were required, insurance companies would have no choice but to cover the process.
Freshman Melisa Karabeyoglu said that she thinks the shot is too expensive for most college students to afford out-of-pocket.
"The shot is very expensive - it should be subsidized by the government if it is going to be mandatory. However, I think that it is a good idea for all college students to receive it before they come to live on campus, so it should be mandatory for college."
There are many students who feel that the HPV vaccine is an overall positive development.
Freshman Sarah Feich has received all three of the required shots. She said she believes that the vaccination should be made mandatory.
"It prevents so many types of cervical cancer … I think it does more good than harm."
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