Physician groups, CDC recommend HPV vaccination for girls ages 11, 12

Changes to the 2007 immunization schedules for children and adolescents in the U.S. -- issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics on Tuesday and approved by CDC and the American Academy of Family Physicians -- include recommending that girls ages 11 and 12 receive Merck's human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil, Reuters Health reports (Reuters Health, 1/4).

Gardasil in clinical trials has been shown to be 100% effective in preventing infection with HPV strains 16 and 18, which together cause about 70% of cervical cancer cases. FDA in July approved the vaccine for sale and marketing to girls and women ages nine to 26, and CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices later that month voted unanimously to recommend that girls ages 11 and 12 receive the vaccine (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 12/13/06). The changes in the 2007 schedule -- published in the Jan. 5 edition of CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report -- also say that Gardasil, which is administered in three shots, "can be started in females as young as age nine years; and a catch-up vaccination is recommended for females 13 to 26 who have not been vaccinated previously or who have not completed the full vaccine series" (Price, Washington Times, 1/5).

Kentucky state Rep. Kathy Stein (D) on Tuesday introduced a bill (HB 143) that would require girls in public and private middle schools to receive an HPV vaccination, the Louisville Courier-Journal reports. Under Kentucky law, immunizations are not required for "any child whose parents are opposed to medical immunization against disease and who object by a written sworn statement to the immunization of such child on religious grounds" (Ungar, Louisville Courier-Journal, 1/5). Proponents of the bill said requiring the vaccine would prevent pain and death in the state, which has higher cervical cancer incidence and mortality than the national average. "It's time for the young women of Kentucky to take advantage of our first vaccine against cancer," Stein said (Louisville Courier-Journal, 1/5). Martin Cothran, senior policy analyst for the Family Foundation of Kentucky, said that his group likely will lobby against the legislation and that it is concerned about the safety of the vaccine. He added that it would be problematic to mandate the vaccine and not allow parents or guardians to opt out (Isaacs, Lexington Herald-Leader, 1/5). The bill on Tuesday was sent to the state House Health and Welfare Committee for consideration, the Courier-Journal reports (Louisville Courier-Journal, 1/5).

The MMWR report is available online.