Parents who are hesitant for their children to be injected with the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine can now choose to opt out – a new provision offered by the Public Health Ministry.
Chief Medical Officer Shamdeo Persaud
Speaking on the sidelines at an event held at the Marriott Hotel on Tuesday, Chief Medical Officer, Shamdeo Persaud revealed that the Public Health Ministry, following recent discussions, has decided to implement the “opt out” process.
Parents can uplift the “opt out” forms from the school which their children attend. The form will become available to schools once the HPV vaccine has been delivered.
“Initially we had started the process of having consent for the HPV. But an assessment of that when we revised the program a few years ago back, we found that receiving the consent was a challenge,” he noted.
He added that once the vaccine is to be delivered at a particular school, the health personnel will meet with the PTA and inform them of the vaccine. After the explanation, they can choose to “opt out” Persaud explained.
However, if this form is not signed by a parent, then that would give the assumption that consent is given for the child to receive the HPV vaccine.
“So it is not a case where these [parents] have to give consent for the vaccine but you can decide in your best opinion or informed decision that you don’t want the child to have the vaccine, you will then sign off otherwise we will assume that you have agreed to have the child immunised against the HPV” Persaud explained.
The HPV is administered to children, both boys and girls between the ages of 9 to 16.
The immunisation of children is part of schools’ Immunisation Act of Parliament and as such, is mandatory.
However, previously, parents have complained about the adverse effects associated with the HPV vaccine and have since protested against same being administered to their children.
Just recently, several parents, who have opted out of the process have taken to their Facebook pages to allege that their children were forced to take the vaccine.
These claims were denied by Persaud who stated: “I have not had any reports of anyone else given a vaccine an HPV vaccine without proper procedures applied”.
Cervical cancer has been listed among the leading cancer deaths in this country, thus the Ministry’s desire to bolster its fight against cancer with the vaccination campaign.
