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Naaman Zhou at The Guardian writes that Australia's free human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme in schools has been highly successful. The International Papillomavirus Society calculates that within 40 years, the number of new cases of cervical cancer will become nearly negligible.
HPV (human papillomavirus) is a sexually transmitted infection that causes 99.9% of cervical cancers. In 2007, the federal government began providing the vaccine for free to girls aged 12-13 years, and in 2013, it extended the program to boys.
Girls and boys outside those ages but under 19 can also access two doses of the vaccine for free. In 2016, 78.6% of 15-year old girls and 72.9% of 15-year old boys had been vaccinated.
As a result, the HPV rate among women aged 18 to 24 dropped from 22.7% to 1.1% between 2005 and 2015.
Eradication is still a few decades out but within reach. The vaccinations are backed up by more advanced cervical screening tests, which are themselves highly successful in detecting high-risk HPV infections before they turn really bad.
Source : Australia could become first country to eradicate cervical cancer. The Guardian
(Score: 2) by dry on Wednesday March 07 2018, @04:11AM (2 children)
There are people refusing any types of vaccinations for their kids in a world where herd immunity is a real thing.
There are people feeding their kids bleach because, despite all evidence, they belief it is healthy.
There are people who refuse blood transfusions for their kids when it is a matter of life and death due to some words in a book.
There are people that instead of taking their really sick kid to a doctor, use a (bad) herbalist or other weird practitioners of so called healthcare.
There are even people who tie their kids up in a cellar or closet, barely feed them and give no medical care.
At what point does society interfere with these and similar practices? Wait until the kid is dead and charge them with neglect or failing to provide the necessities of life?
It's a hard problem as parents/guardians should be largely free to raise their children how they like but children shouldn't be abused.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 07 2018, @12:47PM
VLM feeds his kids bleach. He wants them to be white inside and out.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 07 2018, @04:55PM
other people's kids are not your business. fuck off.