A bill that would remove a minor’s ability to consent to the HPV vaccine passed the Iowa House Health and Human Services Committee on Tuesday. House File 104 advanced by a 13-7 vote, with every Democrat voting against requiring parental consent for the HPV vaccine.
Currently, the HPV vaccine can be administered without parental consent because minor’s are allowed to consent to vaccinations for sexually transmitted disease or infection.
Republican State Rep. Eddie Andrews noted every other vaccine requires parental consent – except for those for sexually transmitted diseases or infections – in Iowa law.
Democrat State Rep. Heather Matson spoke against the bill, calling it a “pro-cancer” bill.
“I know people don’t want to hear that, but it is true,” she said. “This bill affects not just the HPV vaccine, but also the Hepatitis B vaccine. Parental involvement is obviously ideal, it’s more than ideal, but it is not always a possibility.”
Matson said HPV vaccines are “safe and effective” and asked members to consider the consequences of inaction by parents. She worried about adults developing cancer that could have been prevented by the vaccine. She also worried about people who get cancer and cannot have kids of their own because they didn’t receive the HPV vaccine as a child without their parent’s consent.
“I would just ask all of you to take a step back and think about the very real implications of this,” she said. “First and foremost, patients have the right to bodily autonomy and if a teenager wants to protect themselves from cancer we should not stop them from doing so.”
Democrat State Rep. Austin Baeth, who is also a doctor, said Iowa is in a cancer crisis and has the second-highest rate of throat cancer in America. He speculated it may not be coincidental that Iowa is in the bottom tier for HPV vaccination rate.
In states that pass similar laws, Baeth cited a study showing a 16 percent reduction in vaccine rates. In Iowa, that would mean more than 2,000 kids per year would not get the HPV vaccine.
“That’s 2,000 extra Iowa children who will no longer be protected against six different types of cancer,” Baeth said. “The first vaccine ever invented to prevent cancer. It’s been around for 19 years. It is exceedingly safe.”
Baeth said as a parent he understands the importance of parental consent, but…
“But sometimes, sometimes we need to trust the expertise of doctors when we recommend to a 16-year-old, ‘Hey, you probably better get this so you don’t get cancer.’”
Andrews closed by asking if people are “pro-polio” because parental consent is required for the polio vaccine. The bill, he said, is about parental rights and ensuring parental involvement.
Representatives who voted against the parental consent requirement for the HPV vaccine were:
Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell (Dem)
Rep. Austin Baeth (Dem)
Rep. Timi Brown-Powers (Dem)
Rep. Tracy Ehlert (Dem)
Rep. Rob Johnson (Dem)
Rep. Heather Matson (Dem)
Rep. Josh Turek (Dem)
