Too many parents are blowing it: Kids need the nanny state to require the HPV vaccine

As a society we are reluctant to increase the reach of government, to expand its authority in ways that interfere with liberty. That's a sound instinct in general, as government should step in only when actions by private citizens prove ineffective or harmful. And that is the case here. Liberty is one thing, but parents denying their children potentially life-saving medical care is another. The vaccination needs to take place before the onset of sexual activity, as it will not help a person who has already been infected with HPV. That's why the medical community, through the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices ACIP), recommends vaccinations begin at age 11-12.If parents won't get their kids vaccinated on their own, we have to require it for the sake of their children, just as many states do for multiple other vaccines. 

Daily Kos, February 28, 2016

Having witnessed first-hand the tragic aftermath of suicide,  Prince William  is set this spring to join  wife Princess Kate  and brother  Prince Harry  to launch a three-pronged campaign on mental health, a royal source tells PEOPLE. William, 33, was confronted by male suicide when flying missions for his  air ambulance charity : In some of those early missions with East Anglian Air Ambulance  last summer, William transported medical crews to the aid of men whose despair led them to take their own lives. 

People, February 27, 2016

Less than half of young men have heard of emergency contraception, a recent study found, even though it's available over the counter at drug stores and is effective at preventing pregnancy after sex.The study, published in the March issue of  Journal of Adolescent Health,   analyzed survey responses by 93 males between the ages of 13 and 24 who visited the adolescent medicine clinic at Children's Hospital Colorado in Aurora for a physical exam, illness or injury between August and October 2014. Most had been sexually active.

NPR, February 26, 2016

The Health Site, February 26, 2016

The Conversation, February 25, 2016

A controversial paper from a University of British Columbia scientist that questioned the safety of a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has been retracted. Retraction Watch reports that a paper published online in the journal Vaccine last month and temporarily removed weeks later has now officially been retracted. The paper, which drew a connection between behavioural problems in mice and the vaccine for HPV, has been replaced by this notice: "This article has been withdrawn at the request of the Editor-in-Chief due to serious concerns regarding the scientific soundness of the article. Review by the Editor-in-Chief and evaluation by outside experts, confirmed that the methodology is seriously flawed, and the claims that the article makes are unjustified. As an international peer-reviewed journal we believe it is our duty to withdraw the article from further circulation, and to notify the community of this issue."
Washington Post, February 25, 2016

Half of Gay Black Men May Become Infected With HIV, CDC Says

If current HIV rates continue, about half of gay and bisexual black men in the United States will be diagnosed with the AIDS-causing virus in their lifetime, a new government analysis says.Gay and bisexual Hispanic males -- another population group at serious risk of HIV -- have a one in four chance of contracting HIV, according to the report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
HealthDay, February 23, 2016

The Weekly News Roundup is produced by The Partnership for Male Youth and is released every Monday. 

For more information contact Dennis J. Barbour, JD. News Roundup editor and President/CEO of the Partnership, at [email protected].

The  Partnership for Male Youth is a collaboration among 23 national organizations and representation from six federal agencies. It is led by a multidisciplinary and multispecialty steering committee and advisory council. The Partnerships's flagship effort, released in January 2014, is  The Health Provider Toolkit for Adolescent and Young Adult Males.