The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) immunisation programme rolls out in medical centres and secondary schools across the country this year in an effort to stem the tide of deaths by cervical cancer.“Your Best Shot” includes a set of three injections of vaccine, over a six month period.
The vaccine costs around $165 per dose, but is free to girls and women aged 12 -18 years of age.Gardasil is the manufactured vaccine being used in this programme and is effective in preventing infection from four out of fifteen strains of HPV known to cause cervical cancer and genital warts.
According to CSL Biotherapies there are 100 types of HPV – most of them are harmless.About 30 strains can infect the genital area of males and females via sexual activity, causing internal lesions, external warts or no symptoms at all.Approximately 15 strains of HPV can cause cervical cancer, especially if not detected and treated early enough.There is no medication to kill the virus; that usually clears up over time.The results of HPV infection can be treated by removing warts, lesions, precancerous cells and cancerous cells.But can we reduce the risk or even prevent infection?
You can reduce the risk of infection by
Delaying the start of sexual activity.The younger you begin to be sexually active, the greater the risk of HPV infection.
Limit the number of sexual partners. The more sexual partners a person has the greater the risk of infection.
You can prevent HPV infection by
Not engaging in sexual activity.Using condoms may prevent other sexually transmitted infections but is not reliable protection against HPV infection.
The Gardasil vaccine immunises against four HPV strains, and not other sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia, syphilis or gonorrhoea, nor all the HPV viruses.
Is there a subversive agenda behind this programme?Craig and Barbara Smith of Family Integrity suggest this is another example of the government intervening upon what should be family matters.“They (the government) expect everyone to be either a sheep who follow the crowd, or a guinea pig taking part in a large scale experiment”.
As Christians we can be encouraged to think Christianly about actions that affect our health and our children’s health.Whatever your decision about receiving or declining the vaccine, the important thing to remember is that there are choices to be made.Those choices must be faced many times.As our children age, the decisions about sexual behaviour develop – we need to keep talking about sexuality with them.For Christians it is widely accepted that Christ-followers honour God by their sexual behaviour – it is a spiritual bond in a relationship best kept for life long partnership in marriage.But equally so we honour God with our speech, friendships, financial spending, use of leisure, even our thought life can be used to honour God.In Christian Woman Rebecca St James, singer/songwriter from the USA says “Purity is not just about abstaining from sex… the body, mind and spirit are all designed to be in sync with God’s design.”While many Christians (and non Christians) strive to live in sync we all fall short of God’s model.It might be no surprise that the consequences of sexual behaviour outside God’s design are tough – unplanned teenage pregnancy, STD, stalled education, fear, emotional pain, family breakdown - will a vaccine be produced to prevent these dis-eases?
So, in recognising Christians and non Christians alike fall short of God’s hopes and dreams for us, we might do well to take advantage of a vaccine that prevents the possibility of future illness…Who among us knows exactly what choices and circumstances will face us or our children in the future?We live by God’s grace even when we fall short of God’s ideals.
Having said that, the “Your Best Shot” programme does not encourage sexual responsibility for men and women, nor does it uphold any particular value on abstinence as a preventative option.Our young men and women need to be given the thinking tools from their parents and mentors that will continually help them make decisions that guard their own sexual health and the sexual health of future partners.These tools might include a robust moral code about respecting self and others, how relationships can be conducted within limits in age appropriate ways, clear Bible-based reasons for why God desires rightly acting followers and the critique of the mass-media portrayal of culture.It is also essential that accurate facts are presented.Parents can’t expect young people to “get it” from a one-off discussion – sexuality is not that simple.It develops over time, as they develop, so needs to be talked about often when it is relevant and pertinent.
Is the “Best Shot” programme a medical-health issue? Yes.
Is it subversive in its cultural agenda? Maybe.
Is it a family issue? Most certainly!
If you have a parenting role, you can investigate and present accurate information to supplement the decision process… and make it a process, rather than following along blindly without talking about sexual behaviour, the facts and risks with your young people. If you are a Christ-follower, you can view circumstances through another lens to guide your decision process, to help formulate your family’s moral code that you probably want to pass on to your children.If you are caregivers concerned about your children’s development and health both now and in the future, become aware of the sum total of information to guide your decision.A little research can uncover factual information that deepens your understanding about what it is you are trying to combat and reveal more than just one line of defence.
Go well in your path for strong, healthy families.If you wish to respond email
