New York Parents Lose Challenge to Child HPV Vaccine Law

A challenge to a New York regulation allowing doctors to vaccinate minors against human papillomavirus without their legal guardians’ knowledge or consent was dismissed by a federal court.

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York Feb. 28 found that the injury alleged by a group of concerned parents was too speculative to establish standing.

The New York Department of Health issued a regulation allowing doctors to administer HPV vaccines like Gardasil to minors without their parents’ consent or knowledge. Under federal law, doctors must provide a child’s legal guardian with certain written materials before administering an ...