I had no idea I was so controversial, but wow! Over at Weary Parent, we’ve been having an ongoing debate about whether the fast-spreading state mandates for the recently approved HPV vaccine Gardasil is a good idea. Responses have ranged from unmitigated support to moral outrage. Apparently I’m somewhere in the middle, which, it seems, is just as controversial as either of the extremes.
The debate has also carried over to Angela’s Herpes Simplex Help blog, where she and I are having a side discussion in which we both keep repeating ourselves with increasing degrees of urgency. …read more

Earlier this month, Texas became the first state to mandate the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, trade name Gardasil (manufactured by Merck). Reactions are mixed, ranging from praise to righteous indignation, including some folks arguing that it gives girls the idea that extramarital sex is a-okay.
The requirement will take effect in September of next year, and will require that all girls be vaccinated before they enter sixth grade. According to Merck, the vaccine can be administered to girls beginning at age 9, and it’s given as a series of three shots. Says Merck:
GARDASIL is given as 3 injections …read more