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Should Young Girls Get the
HPV Vaccine?
An Update of the Issues
by www.SixWise.com
Gardasil, a vaccine that protects against HPV (human papillomavirus),
has practically become a household word in the United States
since it was approved in 2006.
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The HPV vaccine may be given to girls as young as 9.
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TV commercials featuring young girls chanting "I'm going
to be one less" are quite commonplace, and now the vaccine,
which protects against the four types of HPV that cause 70
percent of cervical cancers and 90 percent of genital warts,
is recommended for 11-12-year-old girls, along with those
aged 13 to 26.
Though many vaccines have the potential to bring up controversy,
Gardasil is a particularly hot button because it protects
against a sexually transmitted disease, yet is being given
to young girls -- most of whom are not yet sexually active.
Add to that the fact that the government is debating over
whether to make the vaccine mandatory, and many parents feel
their rights are being violated in that HPV can be prevented
through abstinence. Giving children the vaccine is "like
pre-inoculating your child for an immoral lifestyle,"
said one parent in the Boston Bay State Banner.
Indeed, in a survey of nearly 10,000 parents, only 49 percent
said they intended to vaccinate their daughter if she were
9 to 12 years old. Meanwhile, 68 percent and 86 percent intended
to vaccinate their 13-15-year-old and 16-18-year-old daughters,
respectively.
Why the Push for Gardasil?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), "studies have found the [HPV] vaccine to be almost
100% effective in preventing diseases caused by the four HPV
types covered by the vaccine -- including precancers of the
cervix, vulva and vagina, and genital warts."
Since HPV infections are extremely common -- some estimate
that three-quarters of U.S. women will be exposed to HPV during
their lifetime -- the premise is that Gardasil will significantly
cut back on the 10,000 new cases of cervical cancer diagnosed
in the United States each year.
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Some parents are refusing to get their daughters vaccinated
on the moral grounds that it could encourage them to
become sexually active.
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According to one estimate, if the vaccine were given universally,
about 70 percent of cervical cancer cases could be eliminated.
What are the Downsides?
Aside from some parents' fears that the vaccine would encourage
their children to have sex, there are other concerns surrounding
Gardasil.
On the forefront of many opponents' arguments is its necessity.
While HPV is common, most infections occur without any symptoms
and go away on their own within a few years, according to
the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
Meanwhile, of the more than 100 HPV viruses (around 30 of
which can be transmitted sexually), Gardasil protects against
just four. So it is possible to get cervical cancer even if
you've been vaccinated. And even among the "high-risk"
types of HPV that Gardasil prevents, NCI says, "It is
important to note, however, that the great majority of high-risk
HPV infections go away on their own and do not cause cancer."
There is also a question of safety. Thousands of Gardasil-related
adverse reactions have been reported to the U.S. Vaccine Adverse
Events Reporting System (VAERS). Reportedly, 11 deaths and
other adverse reactions, including Bells Palsy, Guillan-Barre
syndrome, seizures, blood clotting, heart problems, and even
miscarriages and fetal abnormalities among pregnant women,
have occurred in those who received the vaccine.
Diane M. Harper, a physician and vaccine researcher, told
KPC News that the vaccine is a "great big public health
experiment," and pointed out that its safety and efficacy
are both unknown.
For now, the choice of whether to get vaccinated with Gardasil
is a voluntary one that every parent and young woman needs
to make on their own.
For those who decide to forgo the vaccine, NCI states that
the surest way to eliminate your risk of HPV infection is
to either refrain from sexual activity or, if you are sexually
active, to maintain a long-term,
mutually monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner.
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Sources
ABC
News May 5, 2008
National
Cancer Institute
Baystatebanner.com
April 24, 2008
NaturalNews.com
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