Senator Questions Proposed HPV Vaccination Requirement
Sen. George Runner (R-Lancaster) said he would support a public information campaign about a vaccine for human papillomavirus, a sexually transmitted infection, but does not support making the vaccination mandatory, MediaNews/Contra Costa Times reports.
Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore Sally Lieber (D-San Jose) last month introduced a measure (AB 16) that would require all California girls entering the sixth grade to be immunized against HPV, which has been linked to cervical cancer.
CDC recommends that ages 11 and 12 are ideal ages for girls to receive the vaccination.
Medi-Cal covers the vaccination for girls 18 and younger, and the Schwarzenegger administration has proposed $11 million in additional funding to cover the vaccination for 50,000 Medi-Cal recipients ages 19 to 26 (Folmar, MediaNews/Contra Costa Times, 1/22).