The California bishops’ conference is urging Californians to contact their legislators to oppose a bill before the state Senate that would remove the requirement of parental consent for vaccinating children 12 and older against sexually transmitted disease.
The bill would allow children to consent to treatment with the controversial Gardasil vaccine intended to prevent HPV – a virus that can cause cervical cancer. Ninety one deaths attributed to Gardasil have been reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System as of January, the California Catholic Conference said in a legislative alert.
“Minors do not have adequate judgment to make a decision about a vaccine that as of January 15, 2011, had 21,171 adverse reactions and 91 deaths reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System,” the California Catholic Conference said in a legislative alert.
The vaccine is recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which said it is safe. California law already allows children 12 and older to consent, without parental involvement, to treatment for sexually transmitted disease. The law would expand that right to immunizations against sexually transmitted disease.
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