Catholic parent group speaks out on HPV vaccine

The following letter to the editor was submitted this afternoon by Bill Murphy, on behalf of Algoma Parents for Catholic Education. Asked by SooToday.

The following letter to the editor was submitted this afternoon by Bill Murphy, on behalf of Algoma Parents for Catholic Education.

Asked by SooToday.com for more information about the group's membership and history, Murphy (shown) told us:

"Over the course of the last three weeks, a number of parents have talked to each other, responded to letters to the editors and that sort of thing.

"When we heard that the board was having a workshop this Wednesday, we decided we better speak as something other than individuals.

"We have an ad hoc group of 15+ people at this moment.

"Just settled on a name this morning."

************************* Letter to the editor, Algoma Parents for Catholic Education, October 4, 2007

Algoma Public Health (APH) should honour the responsibility of Huron Superior school board to decide issues within its jurisdiction - even if APH does not agree.

The APH should also refrain from selective representation of facts, which have the effect of misleading the public.

To quote Dr. Northan's news release: "In a September 13th statement to the Directors of Education and the Catholic Education Community, the Ontario Conference of Catholic Bishops state: "Female students in all Grade 8 classrooms in our school system will be offered the vaccine over the course of this year. This is a voluntary program and parents have the final decision on whether their daughters will be vaccinated." Ontario's Catholic Bishops say that parents have the right and responsibility to decide whether their daughters should be vaccinated. Trustees should honour this right." (October 25)

It is interesting to see secular groups claim the moral high ground by quoting religious leaders when it suits them.

However, they should be forthcoming when they employ this tactic.

The Ontario Catholic Bishops also said in the same letter:

They "regret its (HPV vaccine) introduction without further opportunity for thorough study of all the effects of this program."

"There is no consensus among those involved in public health in Canada that HPV vaccination is the most prudent strategy ... of preventing deaths resulting from cervical cancer. Further research is required."

One hopes Dr. Northan's selective referencing of the bishop's letter does not extend to selective reporting of the HPV vaccine's risks.

Clearly the Catholic bishops have serious reservations about the HPV program.

Clearly, the Huron Superior board is concerned that that allowing the vaccination program could easily be seen as an endorsement of the vaccine's safety and necessity.

The board has not removed parental choice; quite the opposite.

They have put the choice back into the hands of the parents.

Health care decisions often embrace values, beliefs and personal research.

Yet medical professionals can be very patronizing towards patients who do not take their advice.

Algoma Public Health's multiple press releases are a classic example of this attitude.

They refuse to accept the considered decision of a duly elected body.

The Algoma Public Health's cheerleading for the HPV vaccine is not shared by all.

The unit's job is to get on with delivering the vaccine to those who want it and not charge $400 for the medication they already have.

The Minister of Health has said he will work with the AHU to provide access to the free vaccine.

Deliver Gardasil like any other vaccine, Dr. Northan.

Stop this political browbeating.

The Huron Superior board is not preventing its delivery.