Diocese sorry for outdated letter on HPV
SASKATOON
The Archdiocese of Regina apologized Thursday for an out-of-date letter regarding the HPV vaccine sent to Catholic school boards and parents this week.
“We certainly apologize for this slipping out sort of under our radar and we’re going to do everything we can to fix everything we can fix at this stage,” said Archdiocesan Theologian Brett Salkeld.
The Bishops of Saskatchewan in the letter say the HPV vaccine must not be compulsory for young students, according to a copy published by CBC. It states a concern that the vaccine could lead to a false sense of security leading young people to engage in risky behaviour, and undermine a healthy sense of sexuality. It states scientific support is still at an early stage, and long-term effects are unknown.
But while it’s dated Sept. 25, 2017, it was actually written about 10 years ago when less was known about HPV and HPV vaccination, and was issued every year since, Salkeld said.
No one noticed it getting out of date until this year, probably because this will be the first year Saskatchewan boys also get the vaccine, he said.
“When it broke in the media of course we heard from doctors and whoever else pointing out other areas that were out of date, so we immediately decided we need to consult with medical professionals who know what’s happened in the last 10 years on this file.”
A new letter will be coming out, he said.
“This is not one diocese, we have five bishops to sign this by the time it’s done, that’s not something you do in a week. But, we appreciate that there’s a certain urgency, so it’s going to be a high priority, but we’re not going to rush it so much that we’re going to regret it.”
However the bishops might have been right — just for the wrong reasons, said Arthur Schafer, founding director of the Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics at the University of Manitoba.
“Whether a risk is worth taking depends on both the absolute risk and the relationship between the potential risk and the potential benefit. When the potential benefits are substantial then it is reasonable to accept some level of risk. But the net benefit of the HPV vaccine is uncertain. Even women who have persistent infections with HPV will most likely not develop cancer if they are regularly screened,” he said.
Canadians, including Catholics, overwhelmingly reject the teachings of the Catholic Church when it comes to sexuality, Schafer said. And the belief that public health campaigns around condoms, birth control and the HPV vaccine will lead to an increase in promiscuity has no evidence to support it, he said.
However, the HPV vaccine is a controversial health measure, he said. It’s effective against just two of the more than 100 strains of the virus and no long-term studies have been done to measure its effectiveness. A 2009 study found it caused some side-effects including fainting and blood clots.
Another study found educational materials from professional medical associations “did not address the full complexity of the issues surrounding the vaccine and did not provide balanced recommendations on risks and benefits.”
The vaccine may even be counter-productive if women mistakenly believe they are fully protected and forgo cervical screenings, which have brought down cervical cancer rates, Schafer said.
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, current evidence states HPV vaccines are safe and their side-effects are similar to other vaccines. It recommends girls and women between the ages of nine and 45 and boys and young men between the ages of nine and 26 be vaccinated.