State Senate Vaccine bill threatens Iowans’ health

Guest Column | Science Iowa Board

It’s risky when lawmakers play doctor, yet that’s what Iowa legislators do when they return to Des Moines every January.

This session is no different. A long list of bills eschews scientific data in favor of misinformation, prejudice and political posturing. Science Iowa and its more than 400 members advocate for evidence-based policy. We’re concerned that these bills jeopardize public health.

Leading the pack: Senate File 2064, which revokes a minor’s right to consent to vaccinations for sexually transmitted diseases or infections. A parent or guardian would have to approve instead.

The bill’s main target is the vaccine that blocks human papillomavirus (HPV), the most common sexual infection in the United States. But it also would require a parent’s consent for shots preventing two other dangerous sexually spread conditions, hepatitis B and C.

HPV can cause genital warts and cancer of the cervix, vulva, vagina, penis and throat. These diseases can develop years after infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The HPV vaccine is only effective, however, if it’s administered before infection, so it’s recommended for minors as young as 11 or 12. The evidence of its safety is overwhelming, with mostly mild, short-lived reactions. Health care providers have administered millions of HPV shots.

Yet, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services reports that fewer than two thirds of Iowa youths receive the HPV vaccine, risking the health and lives of many Iowans. And the University of Iowa’s Cancer in Iowa report for 2024 found the state is second in the nation for the highest rate of new throat cancers.

Like HPV, hepatitis B and C infections also can cause no or few symptoms, but a significant share of cases lead to chronic liver disease, such as cirrhosis, and premature death.

And like HPV, hepatitis vaccinations are low, Health and Human Services reports, with only about 35% of Iowans ages 19 to 59 fully immunized against the B strain as of 2023.

The proposed bill would worsen the situation, letting parents overrule their children’s right to choose to protect themselves. It still lets minors consent to every other kind of treatment for the prevention, diagnosis or treatment of a sexually transmitted disease or infection. The carve-out for vaccinations shows the bill imperils beneficial health outcomes and overall public health so Iowa can codify unscientific viewpoints about vaccination in general.

We shouldn’t erect obstacles to lifesaving treatments. Senate leaders must decline to take up this bill.

The Science Iowa Board includes Dan Chibnall, Ruth Henderson, Thomas R. O’Donnell, Laurie Neuerburg, Nathan Steimel and Chris Jones. Science Iowa is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization with more than 400 members and endorses science in the public interest, research for the common good and evidence-based policy. The group urges lawmakers to listen to experts and not to rumor and myth.