The HPV Vaccine
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Sixteen year-old Alaina Reyes sits on the gynecologist's exam table under a poster of girls with different body types that reads, "What's normal supposed to look like anyway?" Accompanied by her mother, Christine, Alaina is here for her first visit with Dr. Dianne Foley, an adolescent gynecologist, as she transitions from pediatric care.
"I don't know how much you've heard about this, but there's a new vaccine available for teens that immunizes against the human papillomavirus, HPV," Dr. Foley tells Alaina. "HPV is a sexually transmitted disease that causes cervical cancer." When Alaina communicates she's chosen to remain abstinent until marriage, Dr. Foley replies, "HPV isn't as big a concern for you as for someone who's had multiple sexual partners. That's where we see the highest risk."
However, Dr. Foley tells Alaina that even though she doesn't fit this risk category, one argument for getting the vaccine is the unknown of her future spouse's sexual choices. It's possible to get HPV from only one sexual partner if that partner was infected through previous sexual activity. Another potential risk is sexual assault.
Many Christian women and their daughters, like Christine and Alaina, are trying to make an informed decision about this controversial new vaccine. Here are some important facts and issues worth considering.
The Virus and the Vaccine
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some 6.2 million people are infected each year, and at any given time about 20 million people have it. It's now known to cause almost 100 percent of cervical cancer, although most HPV infections clear up on their own before becoming precancerous. Ten thousand women get cervical cancer and 3,700 die from it each year, according to the National Cancer Institute. Currently there's no test to determine if men have HPV.
Gardasil, the HPV vaccine, is a three-shot immunization given over six months. It protects against four strains of HPV that cause 70 percent of all cervical cancers and 90 percent of all genital warts. To be fully effective, Gardasil needs to be administered at least seven months before a girl becomes sexually active. The Advisory Council for Immunization Practices (ACIP), the group that advises the CDC on immunization practices primarily for physicians and health departments, universally recommends the vaccine for 11- and 12-year-olds and has approved it for ages 9-26. This is our first vaccine for a cancer.
Research continues on its efficacy and whether a booster will be needed, but for the five years studies have been conducted, the vaccine remained effective for up to four and a half years. The FDA, which says it's safe, continues to monitor safety and effectiveness. However, some people are concerned about the usage of such a new vaccine.
Originally published in: Today's Christian Woman, 2007, July/August, Vol. 29, Issue 4, Page 30
Related Topics:
Cancer, Health, parenting, Premarital sex, Teens
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jen
@Marie It is illegal for a doctor to fail to report an adverse treatment event. Not only a doctor, but a pharmacy, even the drug company itself, is legally bound to report all adverse events to federal regulators as soon as they come to their attention. If a doctor "refuses" to report an adverse event, you have a bigger problem than just the vaccine... you have a doctor who is in danger of committing malpractice.
jen
Protecting against only 4 of the 200+ strains of HPV is not necessarily a bad thing. Most HPV strains do not cause cancer. The vaccine was not designed to prevent every type of HPV infection, only to protect against 4 strains that are specifically related to cervical and other cancers. It's also important to note the OTHER cancers that the vaccine can prevent. Certain strains of HPV may cause vulvar, anal, penile, throat, tongue and even skin cancers. That means even without sex, simply getting certain HPV strains on your skin can lead to cancer. It is possible to check men for the infection, but an even better solution would be to vaccinate boys in order to prevent them from developing cancer as well. Finally, children produce more antibodies in response to vaccination than adults do. After a decade adults may need a booster, but because they were vaccinated previously they produce an anamnestic immune response--meaning the body responds strongly due to "remembering" the vaccine.
kristina
I just wanted to share that the fact you are being abstinent does not mean you can not have HPV. I am 22, never had sex, and still I was announced I have it. (My mum died of cancer two years ago) My gynaecologist says the vaccine won´t help me now, and that I need rather to support my immunity with some vitamines. Be careful all of you ... with love..k
Meg Rose
While I agree that we should do all we can to prevent cancer, I would like to caution everyone about jumping on the vaccine bandwagon without truly researching this vaccine. I don't know much about it but I do know this-some vaccines are made from aborted fetal tissue(hep b and varicella) and the docs don't tell you that. Do your research thoroughly before making a decision. My children will not be receiving this vaccine, and I myself have HPV. The dysplasia can go away on its own and is treatable before it turns into cancer. PAP smears are the life savers, not vaccines. They only protect against 4 of the hundreds of strains of this virus.
Alice
There are no guarantees about our daughters' behavior, but there are also no guarantees with the immunization. It has not been tested extensively enough or long enough for us to know just how long it will be effective, or what the long-term side effects may be. Forcing everyone to get a vaccine that is still so new would be irresponsible. Especially since there are girls whose risk of getting HPV is low enough that the risks from the vaccine would not be worth it. And the excuse that poor people might not get the vaccine otherwise is laughable. Will making the vaccine mandatory suddenly make it inexpensive? Let the parents and doctors decide what is best for each girl. Oh, I would have given the article a higher rating if it had at least mentioned the possible side effects of the vaccine. That is important information that should not have been ignored.
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