The promise of the human papillomavirus vaccine does not confer immunity against ethical reflection.
The recent announcement of an experimental vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV) has raised great hopes and expectations. Promising trial results, however, should not obscure ethical issues related to a vaccine's ultimate dissemination. Although lay media might view an HPV vaccine as a panacea, a more complicated ethical reality exists, touching upon public knowledge, health care disparities, and parental consent for childhood vaccination.
de Melo-Martín
Inmaculada
I
Division of Medical Ethics, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA. imd2001@med.cornell.edu
D026688:Bioethical Issues; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D008297:Male; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000276:immunology; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011322:Primary Prevention; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology
D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines; D014765:Viral Vaccines