The HPV vaccine. Is healthcare being stupid and sexist? Share this!

Is the HPV vaccine sexist?

According to the NPR article Boys To Men: Unequal Treatment On HPV Vaccine, even though the HPV vaccine is approved to treat genital warts in males, the laws will not offer free coverage of the pricey vaccine to boys or men, like it is offered to women.

Why?

HPV is a leading cause of cervical cancer in women, which according to the director of breast and gynecologic cancer for the American Cancer Society, Debbie Saslow (as mentioned in the above article), "Gentital warts aren't life threatening."  Well, there are many problems with this statement, it is wrong and a very insensitive statement.  A sad statement to come from a director at the American Cancer society:

• HPV can lead to deadly cancers in men as well (anal cancer, head and neck cancer, too name a few).

•  The virus gets to women somehow, usually by sexual contact, by men.  It common sense that if we can combat the virus from multiple angles, then the disease will be more likely eradicated.

• Boys and men will likely become vaccinated at greater levels if they can get the expensive vaccine administered cheaply or free.

• Healthcare should be equal and just because men are men doesn't mean they automatically deserve to be sick compared to women.

I am all for equality in this world.  Complete equality.

Before healthcare officials make insensitive statements, they really should stop and think!

Share this if you want the same coverage for your sons!