Cervical Cancer Immunizations

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ State Senator Constance Johnson says Monday she won't press for a hearing on a measure to require all Oklahoma girls entering the sixth grade to be immunized against the human

Monday, February 12th 2007, 7:40 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ State Senator Constance Johnson says Monday she won't press for a hearing on a measure to require all Oklahoma girls entering the sixth grade to be immunized against the human papillomavirus, also known as HPV.

Johnson says clinical trials show inoculation was 100 percent effective in preventing precancerous cervical conditions caused by the types of HPV included in the vaccine.

The vaccine protects against specific strains of HPV which cause 70 percent of all cervical cancers.

In Oklahoma, cervical cancer is the eighth-most frequent cancer in women.

Johnson says she has achieved her goal of spurring a public dialogue on the issue and has determined that legislative action is not necessary.

She says the state Board of Health has the authority to require specific inoculations.