CONTACTStaffCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
Several experimental vaccines to prevent sexually transmitted diseases are in the works, but they face opposition from some parents and right-wing government officials who say that because the shots are intended for children, they will encourage sexual activity among young people, the Chicago Tribune reports. By the end of the year, the first human papillomavirus vaccine could be submitted to the Food and Drug Administration for approval. HPV has been linked with virtually all cases of cervical cancer and also can cause anal and genital warts. Experimental vaccines to prevent herpes simplex virus type 2 also are in clinical trials, and shots to prevent gonorrhea and chlamydia are in development.
Advocates say giving the vaccines to children or adolescents would help prevent infection with the STDs, many of which carry significant health risks, such as cervical cancer or damage to the reproductive system. But conservatives say eliminating the risks of STD infection could encourage more teenagers to engage in sexual activity. "[STDs] in the United States will not be contained by injecting vaccines into pre-adolescents in anticipation of promiscuous behavior," Scott Phelps, executive director of Abstinence and Marriage Education Partnerships, told the Tribune.
The antigay right-wing group Family Research Council initially called an HPV vaccine "a license to engage in premarital sex," but it has since changed its position to oppose only mandatory vaccination against the STD because of the vaccine's ability to prevent cervical cancer.
Vaccine developers say the injections are not meant to replace educating children about sexual activity, including teaching young adults to remain abstinent or practice safer sex if they do become sexually active. "For most parents, the moral decision is to protect their children" from potentially dangerous diseases, Gregory Zimet, a professor of pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine who has studied parents' views of STD vaccines, told the Tribune. A study in the September edition of the Journal of Adolescent Health shows that most parents would allow their children to be vaccinated against STDs. (Advocate.com)
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Here Are Our 2024 Election Predictions. Will They Come True?
November 07 2023 1:46 PM
Meet all 37 of the queer women in this season's WNBA
April 17 2024 11:24 AM
17 Celebs Who Are Out & Proud of Their Trans & Nonbinary Kids
November 30 2023 10:41 AM
Here Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S.
November 01 2023 5:09 PM
Which State Is the Queerest? These Are the States With the Most LGBTQ+ People
December 11 2023 10:00 AM
These 27 Senate Hearing Room Gay Sex Jokes Are Truly Exquisite
December 17 2023 3:33 PM
10 Cheeky and Homoerotic Photos From Bob Mizer's Nude Films
November 18 2023 10:05 PM
42 Flaming Hot Photos From 2024's Australian Firefighters Calendar
November 10 2023 6:08 PM
These Are the 5 States With the Smallest Percentage of LGBTQ+ People
December 13 2023 9:15 AM
Here are the 15 gayest travel destinations in the world: report
March 26 2024 9:23 AM
Watch Now: Advocate Channel
Trending Stories & News
For more news and videos on advocatechannel.com, click here.
Trending Stories & News
For more news and videos on advocatechannel.com, click here.
Latest Stories
Trans man Tee Arnold shot to death in Florida
April 17 2024 4:41 PM
Can scientific research on the causes of homosexuality be used against LGBTQ+ people?
April 17 2024 4:02 PM
George Takei releases kids' book about his childhood in internment camp
April 17 2024 3:18 PM
PLUS
ExclusivesTodrick Hall on surviving the rumors and remembering where he came from
April 17 2024 2:33 PM
Pride
Yahoo FeedHow The Pride Store celebrates National Tea Day: A tale of two brews
April 17 2024 2:14 PM
'Parents' Rights' movements forget families have the right to read LGBTQ+ books
April 17 2024 10:15 AM
This gay man had to flee Ghana after a violent attack. He’s finally been granted asylum
April 17 2024 9:17 AM