Gardasil Shocker: Japan Withdraws Support for HPV Vaccine | The Healthy Home Economist

Gardasil Shocker: Japan Withdraws Support for HPV Vaccine | The Healthy Home Economist:

 Japan suffers from one of the lowest fertility rates in the world – 1.39 (2011) - well below 2.1 population replacement level. This combined with a rapidly aging populace has become such a worry for the government that women are actually now being paid to have babies.

According to the Wall Street Journal, a Japanese program that pays new parents $3,300 per year for every new child until age 15, along with offering less direct incentives, like state-supported daycare and tuition waivers, was implemented in 2009.

The result? The fertility rate barely budged.

With cash offers for babies not yet working, Japan is being extremely cautious in implementing any long term health initiatives which affect women’s reproductive organs.

On June 14, 2013, Japan’s health ministry raised eyebrows around the world by deciding to formally withdraw its recommendation for HPV vaccination (Gardasil, Cervarix) to protect girls against cervical cancer.