California Governor signs HPV vaccination bill amid heated debate

On October 13, the California Governor signed Assembly Bill 659 (AB 659), which recommends that students under the age of 26 receive the HPV vaccine. Social media posts from the bill’s opponents falsely claim that the HPV vaccine is ineffective and poses serious risks to young people, causing fainting, seizures, and injuries.

Risk level: Low

Recommendation: While these social media posts are primarily circulating in vaccine-opponent circles, false claims about the HPV vaccine may promote vaccine hesitancy. It is recommended that doctors in California be prepared to answer questions about the safety and efficacy of all HPV vaccines, which have been shown to be safe and effective across multiple trials and studies.