Provincially ordered vaccine concerns Catholic trustees

The Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board has some serious concerns about a recent announcement from the provincial government about the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.

Director of Education John Stadnyk told trustees this week that he's drafting a letter expressing those concerns to Algoma Public Health and to appropriate ministries of the Ontario government.

Ontario government is funding the HPV vaccine at no cost to all females in Grade 8 through school clinics.

"All other females aged 9 to 26 can see their doctor and pay to get the vaccine," says the official provincial website. "The three doses cost approximately $400 in total."

HPV is a sexually transmitted disease that usually carries little or no symptoms.

But strains 16 and 18 cause 70 percent of cervical cancer and strains 6 and 11 cause about 90 percent of genital warts.

The vaccine prevents infection against four HPV types: 6, 11, 16 and 18, the website says.

Stadnyk told Catholic trustees that the first HPV vaccine clinics are scheduled to take place in Huron-Superior schools in just a few weeks.

Trustee Laurie Aceti asked why there wasn't more time and information provided so that parents could make informed decisions about the vaccine.

Trustee Kathleen Rosilius expressed concern that the vaccine is supposed to protect girls from a sexually transmitted disease and wondered whether allowing it in Catholic schools is sending a message to young people that sex before marriage is acceptable behaviour.

Trustee Aceti also said she was concerned about the safety of children and liability issues.

"Who will be responsible to monitor the children that receive the vaccine for signs of a reaction," she asked. "Are we liable if a child is injured or killed as a result of a vaccine reaction and does our insurance cover us in that situation?"

Stadnyk told the board that the information came to the schools so recently that there was little time to research the vaccine, its moral implications or its safety.

"This came to the boards very fast," he said. "Algoma Public Health gave out the schedules without a lot of time for dialogue."

Stadnyk expects to hear back from Bishop Jean-Louis Plouffe about the issue and will include the bishop's comments and recommendations with the concerns raised by the board in his letter.

Stadnyk said he'll report back to the board at its next meeting but expressed concern that the first inoculations are scheduled before the next board meeting.

"Other boards are currently trying to find out if they can refuse this," he told the board. "I will keep you apprised of the situation as it develops."