Brown’s Decision To Sign STI Bill ‘Sound,’ Editorial Argues

A Boston Globe editorial states that Gov. Jerry Brown (D) made a "sound" decision to sign a bill (AB 499) that will allow children ages 12 and older to obtain preventive treatment for sexually transmitted infections, including the vaccine against the human papillomavirus, without parental consent. The editorial notes that HPV can cause cervical cancer, which "remains the second leading cancer killer of women worldwide." The Globe adds, "If other states follow suit" and enact similar measures, "they will help prevent a majority of cervical cancer cases in this country."

• "Guarding Against a Killer" (Boston Globe, 10/15).