Inane inoculations: how far is too far?
Beth Clothier
Issue date: 9/14/09 Section: Opinion
The makers of Gardasil have a very effective marketing campaign. In fact, it has worked so well that the manufacturers of other possibly unsafe and unnecessary products should take a tip from the geniuses that created it. You've all seen the commercials on television featuring the slogan "One Less" repeated several times over the span of their 30 to 40 seconds, with both mothers and daughters lauding the miracle vaccine that may or may not prevent Human Papillomavirus, genital warts and cervical cancer. However, for one immigrant to the United States, the only thing it may prevent is achieving citizenship.
According to abc.com, the United States government has made it mandatory for all female immigrants between the ages of 11 and 26 to receive the Gardasil vaccine in addition to the rest of the required vaccines approved by the Centers for Disease Control before their application for citizenship can be approved. Gardasil vaccines are not required for any natural-born American citizen by law, though thousands have subjected themselves to it voluntarily due to a marketing campaign that plays upon people's fatalistic fear of disease and early death.
The girl at the center of this debate, 17-year-old Simone Davis, does not wish to subject herself to a series of shots for a drug that could possibly be unsafe and argues that it is both an unnecessary measure and one which makes her feel like a human guinea pig. Her application to waive the vaccine on the grounds of moral and religious reasons was rejected, and unless she wins her appeal or submits to the order, she will have to reapply for citizenship when she turns 18 and wait another five years to obtain it, dashing her hopes of attending college upon graduating from high school.
The fact that the government has made this vaccine mandatory is infuriating, especially because according to the Journal of American Medicine, there is a lack of sufficient evidence that the drug is even effective. Aside from that, what purpose does it serve to order that this select population be vaccinated? They are not the only people to have and spread HPV and genital warts - it's not like they are carrying the sexual equivalent of smallpox or cholera into the country. These diseases are common enough among the current populace that there is no danger of increased occurrence via the admission of immigrants.
To me the whole thing reeks of manipulation and big business, as if the company was looking for another way to increase its profits and hit upon the idea of mandating this vaccination to help fill the coffers. To hold something as important as citizenship over these people's heads in order to do so is an absolute disgrace.
According to abc.com, the United States government has made it mandatory for all female immigrants between the ages of 11 and 26 to receive the Gardasil vaccine in addition to the rest of the required vaccines approved by the Centers for Disease Control before their application for citizenship can be approved. Gardasil vaccines are not required for any natural-born American citizen by law, though thousands have subjected themselves to it voluntarily due to a marketing campaign that plays upon people's fatalistic fear of disease and early death.
The girl at the center of this debate, 17-year-old Simone Davis, does not wish to subject herself to a series of shots for a drug that could possibly be unsafe and argues that it is both an unnecessary measure and one which makes her feel like a human guinea pig. Her application to waive the vaccine on the grounds of moral and religious reasons was rejected, and unless she wins her appeal or submits to the order, she will have to reapply for citizenship when she turns 18 and wait another five years to obtain it, dashing her hopes of attending college upon graduating from high school.
The fact that the government has made this vaccine mandatory is infuriating, especially because according to the Journal of American Medicine, there is a lack of sufficient evidence that the drug is even effective. Aside from that, what purpose does it serve to order that this select population be vaccinated? They are not the only people to have and spread HPV and genital warts - it's not like they are carrying the sexual equivalent of smallpox or cholera into the country. These diseases are common enough among the current populace that there is no danger of increased occurrence via the admission of immigrants.
To me the whole thing reeks of manipulation and big business, as if the company was looking for another way to increase its profits and hit upon the idea of mandating this vaccination to help fill the coffers. To hold something as important as citizenship over these people's heads in order to do so is an absolute disgrace.
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