The HPV Vaccine: Why the Internet is Lying to You

The internet has a lot of power these days, with any crazy person with a Wifi connection able to target anyone, anywhere. It’s easy to see how this might affect your emotional wellbeing – but what about your sexual health? Wellness expert Shaun Dreisbach notes, ‘Imagine a vaccine that helps prevent cancer. Now imagine that it’s going unused because of myths circulating online. That’s what’s happening with the HPV vaccine: A debunked article from 2009, which claims the shot doesn’t work and that it has led to dozens of deaths, went viral again late last year, and University of Maryland researchers have found that 52% of the HPV-vaccine-related videos they examined on YouTube had a negative, disapproving tone.’ But how can one article do so much damage?

 

‘Some experts fear these rumours are contributing to “horrifically low” vaccination rates for HPV—a sexually transmitted infection that affects nearly all adults and can cause genital warts and cancer,’ Dreisbach warns. ‘The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that this lifesaving vaccine could prevent 15,000 cases of HPV-related cancers each year, but a new study says that only 28% of women 18 to 26 report having started the three-dose series. As with any immunisation, there can be side effects, but out of the 57 million doses given in the US, less than 2,000 cases of serious reactions have been documented—and some of those haven’t been conclusively linked to the vaccine.’

 

Katharine O’Connell White, MD, chief of the division of general obstetrics and gynaecology at Baystate Medical Centre in Springfield, Massachusetts, argues that the HPV vaccine is ‘as safe as the flu shot. The most common side effects are pain and redness at the injection site; “more serious” symptoms include nausea and fainting. You have to balance the vaccine’s risks against what’s possible if you don’t get it, which is cancer.’ Dreisbach admits, ‘Though some deaths have been reported, the CDC has investigated each case and found no evidence the vaccine was to blame. And the shots are effective. Gardasil, the most popular and widely available vaccine, offers nearly 100% protection against the 2 types of HPV that cause about 75% of reported cervical cancer cases. The vaccine also protects against other strains that cause genital warts.’

 

But you’ve probably missed your chance now, right? ‘You can still get the shot if you’re already sexually active,’ says Dreisbach. ‘The vaccine is usually recommended for girls between ages 11 and 12 because it works best prior to HPV exposure. But some experts say adult women should also get it, even if they’ve already had HPV…While the FDA has yet to officially recommend the vaccine to women over age 26, many doctors do prescribe it.’ Dr. White explains, ‘Your body could naturally fight off the infection, and then you can get HPV again. Getting vaccinated now may safeguard you against future infections…If you’re not monogamous, you’re probably going to see more penises!’

 

And make sure you get all of your doses, says Dreisbach: ‘One study found that only 17% of women, on average, get all three doses of an HPV vaccine, which are supposed to be administered over a six-month period. Although that’s better than nothing (National Cancer Institute research shows that one or two doses still help women develop higher anticancer antibody levels than unvaccinated women), a partial series may not be enough to keep you cancer-free, so it’s best to follow up and get all the shots.’ And, if you need more information, don’t trust everything you read on the internet. As Dr. White says, ‘If you still have questions about the HPV vaccine, hit up your gyno—not Google.’

Categories: cancer, cancer dreisbach, cervical cancer, dr white, dreisbach, genital warts, HPV Vaccine, nbsp, Rumours, Vaccine, Women

Boys" cancer risk increased without same vaccine as girls, say ...

The HPV vaccine is routinely offered to girls of 12 and 13 to reduce the risk of cervical cancer, but health groups say boys not given the vaccine are at greater risk of viruses linked to other cancers Photograph: Burger/Phanie/Rex

Boys are being denied protection against the risk of cancer because they are not routinely offered the same vaccination as girls, a coalition of 25 patient groups and health organisations has claimed.

The coalition has launched an online petition for a “gender-neutral” approach with the HPV vaccine, which is already offered to girls of 12 and 13 to reduce the risk of cervical cancer.

Several backbench MPs backed the idea last year and vaccination advisers to the UK government have already pledged to consider the move but now HPV Action is stepping up the pressure on ministers to follow the example of the US, Australia and some Canadian provinces.

The vaccination combats a family of viruses that are also linked to a number of cancers prevalent in men including anal and penile cancer and genital warts. Peter Baker, campaign director for HPV Action, said: “Vaccinating girls alone is not enough to tackle HPV. Men can still get the virus from unvaccinated women from the UK and other countries or from other men.

“It is simply unfair to deny boys in the UK the same level of protection as girls or as boys in Australia and other countries where both sexes are now routinely vaccinated. The HPV vaccination is one of the easiest ways of preventing cancer.”

An online poll of 1,336 parents by YouGov for the organisation last month found 64% agreed with boys and girls being vaccinated, with 11% disagreeing and 25% unsure, said HPV Action, which includes the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, the British Dental Association, the Terrence Higgins Trust and the Throat Cancer Foundation.

Categories: boys, cancer, cervical cancer, girls, hpv action, HPV Vaccine, risk, routinely offered, Vaccine

Boys" cancer risk increased without same vaccine as girls, say ...

The HPV vaccine is routinely offered to girls of 12 and 13 to reduce the risk of cervical cancer, but health groups say boys not given the vaccine are at greater risk of viruses linked to other cancers Photograph: Burger/Phanie/Rex

Boys are being denied protection against the risk of cancer because they are not routinely offered the same vaccination as girls, a coalition of 25 patient groups and health organisations has claimed.

The coalition has launched an online petition for a “gender-neutral” approach with the HPV vaccine, which is already offered to girls of 12 and 13 to reduce the risk of cervical cancer.

Several backbench MPs backed the idea last year and vaccination advisers to the UK government have already pledged to consider the move but now HPV Action is stepping up the pressure on ministers to follow the example of the US, Australia and some Canadian provinces.

The vaccination combats a family of viruses that are also linked to a number of cancers prevalent in men including anal and penile cancer and genital warts. Peter Baker, campaign director for HPV Action, said: “Vaccinating girls alone is not enough to tackle HPV. Men can still get the virus from unvaccinated women from the UK and other countries or from other men.

“It is simply unfair to deny boys in the UK the same level of protection as girls or as boys in Australia and other countries where both sexes are now routinely vaccinated. The HPV vaccination is one of the easiest ways of preventing cancer.”

An online poll of 1,336 parents by YouGov for the organisation last month found 64% agreed with boys and girls being vaccinated, with 11% disagreeing and 25% unsure, said HPV Action, which includes the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, the British Dental Association, the Terrence Higgins Trust and the Throat Cancer Foundation.

Categories: boys, cancer, cervical cancer, girls, hpv action, HPV Vaccine, risk, routinely offered, Vaccine

Could We Reduce Cervical Cancer by 70% in 8 Countries?

When the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine was commercially launched in 2006, the wellbeing of future generations of women was secured against the viruses that cause 70% of cervical cancer cases. However, cervical cancer continues to cause approximately 275,000 deaths every year, with 85% of those deaths occurring in developing countries. So how can we reach the young girls in low- and middle-income countries whose wellness could significantly benefit from a HPV vaccination?

Gavi, which funds vaccines for children in the world’s 73 poorest countries, has now set a target of supporting the vaccination of 30 million girls against HPV by 2020. Gavi-funded pilot projects are due to start in Ghana, Kenya, Laos, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, and Sierra Leone this year, and in Tanzania in 2014. Countries that can demonstrate their ability to deliver the vaccine will have access to a full rollout of funding.

According to Seth Berkley, Gavi chief executive, ‘There is a triple whammy for women in the developing world: they have a higher incidence of HPV infection, there is usually no good screening programme in place, and if they do get cervical cancer they don’t have good treatment options.’  In Cambodia, for example, the age standardised cervical cancer mortality rate (which minimises the effect of age composition in different populations) is 16.2 per 100,000 and in Kenya it is even higher, at 17.3 per 100,000. By contrast, the rate in the UK is 2.0 per 100,000.

Dr Kimberley Fox of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation at WHO’s Western Pacific regional office in Manila, notes that the 70% level of protection offered by HPV vaccination ‘has lead to a lot of excitement, because countries can be confident of achieving a real impact from a fairly bounded intervention.’ However, she adds, ‘The cost and complexity of implementation is a barrier because it is being delivered through new systems, such as through schools. That seems a very convenient way to reach girls aged nine to 13 but this is not a system that the national immunisation programmes already have in place.’

There is also another big challenge at the local level; communications. ‘This vaccine has been a sensitive issue in many countries, because it relates to reproductive health,’ Fox explains. ‘Communications with communities, schools, teachers, parents and girls are really crucial to ensure acceptance of vaccine. They have to understand what the vaccine is, that it’s about preventing cancer.’

Categories: cervical cancer, developing countries, HPV Vaccine

Should You Get Your Child a Human Papillomavirus Vaccine?

Human papillomavirus is known to cause cervical cancer, but many people forget that it’s a sexually transmitted disease, and so can easily put your wellbeing at risk. According to a hospital release from Dr Katharine O. White, chief of general obstetrics and gynaecology at Baystate Medical Centre, ‘I can’t think of any better way to observe STD Awareness Month than for parents to consider getting their child the Gardasil vaccine to prevent them against the human papillomavirus.’

There is no treatment for human papillomavirus, which, as it is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women worldwide, is a major wellness concern. More than half of sexually active men and women will become infected at some time in their lives, and White noted, ‘While the vaccine is recommended for both girls and boys ages 9 to 11, studies tell us that women up to age 26 will also benefit from being vaccinated, which is covered by insurance up to that age.’

In March, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new analysis of eight common STIs; chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis B virus (HBV), herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), human papillomavirus (HPV), syphilis and trichomoniasis. The CDC report showed that up to half of all new infections each year affect the wellness of young people ages 15 to 24. White commented, ‘While this age group is the most vulnerable, anyone with a new partner or with multiple partners is also vulnerable.’

Dr. Patricia Bailey-Sarnelli, director of paediatric and adolescent gynaecologic services at Baystate, added that the need for prevention is greater than ever, but part of the problem has to do with normal adolescent psychological development. ‘Adolescents go through a phase of magical thinking where, basically, they have a sense of invulnerability, that nothing can hurt them,’ she explained. ‘For that reason, they tend to be less consistent about condom use, so that puts them at greater risk.’

Bailey-Sarnelli noted that ‘the girls I am seeing now are somewhat better informed and most talk about learning about sex in their health class at school.’ However, the CDC statistics show that more needs to be done for teen sexual health. ‘I always like to tell them that we are all sexual beings, and that the most important part of that is being a responsible sexual being – responsible to themselves, to their partners, their family, and community – and part of that includes using protection against sexually transmitted diseases.’

Should You Get Your Child a Human Papillomavirus Vaccine?

Categories: bailey sarnelli, HPV Vaccine, human, human papillomavirus, papillomavirus, sexual, sexually transmitted, STIs, Teenagers, Virus, White