Was signed into law by Governor Newsom 10/13/2023

 

Update to AB 659 
This bill was amended on March 21, 2023. AB 659 would have required California public school students to receive an HPV humanpapiIlomavirus (HPV) vaccination before entering the 8th grade. The amended version does not have that requirement; however, added in the amended version is the following. "The bill would, upon a pupil’s admission or advancement to the 6th grade level, require the governing authority to submit to the pupil and their parent or guardian a notification containing a statement about that public policy and advising that the pupil be fully immunized against HPV before admission or advancement to the 8th grade level."

 

"This bill would require the Trustees of the California State University, the Regents of the University of California subject to a resolution, and the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges to require the first-time enrollees at those institutions who are 26 years of age or younger to provide proof of full immunization against HPV prior to enrollment. The bill would authorize an extension with conditional enrollment, and would set forth a medical exemption from the immunization requirement, as specified."

 

Comments: Is the new amended version of AB 659 better or worse? It is good to see that the HPV vaccine is no longer mandated for California 8th through 12th grade students. But requiring enrolling California college students to receive the HPV vaccine is wrong. Why? The Mayo Clinic in an article entitled "HPV vaccine:Who needs it, how it works" states, "Various strains of HPV spread through sexual contact and are associated with most cases of cervical cancer."

 

In an article entitled "HPV Vaccination Recommendations," the CDC states the following. "At any age, having a new sex partner is a risk factor for getting a new HPV infection. People who are in a long-term, mutually monogamous relationship are not likely to get a new HPV infection." Based on that statement, would it be advisable for someone who is sexually active with multiple partners get the HPV vaccination?  No doubt most family doctors would recommend the HPV vaccine for that individual. But, should that same person be forced to take the vaccine?" And, should someone who is not sexually active be forced to take an HPV vaccine especially since the HPV vaccine is reported to have serious side effects for some individuals? A quick search brought up several articles such as the one in the link below regarding lawsuits against
https://www.dolmanlaw.com/blog/gardasil-vaccine-lawsuits-file-over-dangerous-side-effects/

 

Is the state our healthcare nannies or are we free to make healthcare choices based on informed consent?

 

It is true that the CDC recommends the HPV vaccination for those 11 to 12 years old and that the HPV vaccination can be started as early as 9 years old. But consider this, on Thursday, February 9, 2023, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) revised their policy on the COVID vaccines. They now recommend that everyone from 6 months and up "...stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines for their age group." Will California legislators also now make the COVID vaccine a requirement for our public school children?

 

We now have 10 vaccines that are required for school attendance here in California. The HPV vaccine would be 11 and the COVID vaccine would be 12. Where does all this stop, or, have we entered a new era where our state legislators prescribe and mandate our medicine for us? Is informed consent a thing of the past? I would like to think not.

 

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