Catholic schools decline participation in cervical-cancer vaccinations

September 25, 2008

Both in Canada and in England, Catholic-school administrators have decided not to join in a program in which teenage girls will be inoculated against cervical cancer: a disease caused by a virus spread mainly through sexual intercourse. Public-health officials have criticized the schools. But note the that Calgary Herald headline is misleading; the schools are not saying that students cannot receive the injections. The girls may be inoculated, at their parents' discretion. The schools say only that the shots will not be given on school grounds.

 

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Further information:

• Catholic students won't get cancer vaccine (Calgary Herald)
• Catholic school defends ban on cervical cancer jab (Guardian)
• School's jab ban 'not justified' (BBC)