WOMEN’S HEALTH

The Fast Track

The author of a new study of the HPV vaccine discusses its cost-effectiveness and the conflicting information about who should get it and when.

By Karen Springen | Newsweek Web Exclusive
Aug 20, 2008 | Updated: 4:42  p.m. ET Aug 20, 2008

« Return to Article

Discuss

Member Comments

  • Posted By: dougguerin @ 09/14/2008 3:31:54 PM

    Of course girls who get this shot will become sexually active, they only have the LITTLE things like getting pregnant and getting AIDS to worry about.. HAHA Far right religious idiots go to far, THIS shot will save lives, and they presumabley say they belive in saving lives, but there actions speak louder than words. People will die if they dont get this shot before they become sexually active. And since they cant get condoms to protect thomselves because of idiotic absintance only programs in schools, people will die because of those that say they are there to protect lives

  • Posted By: happygirl0314 @ 08/21/2008 12:57:10 PM

    I am a 27 year old Cervical Cancer Survivor. I was diagnosed with high risk HPV about 1 1/2 years ago. I was diagnosed about 3 months later with stage II Cervical Cancer. I had a hysterectomy and have undergone many different treatments. I am now Cancer free. I was not an easy woman who had slept with alot of men. I have been married for 5 years now and my husband and I have had dreams of having a baby. Unfortunatly I cant now. We are looking into adoption, and other venues so we will have a child someday however, I will never know what it is like to be pregnant or to feel a baby inside of me. I am 27 years old and I have gone through menopause. Please vaccinate your daughters against this silent disease. EVERY sexually active adult has had a form of HPV once in there life. Most of the time the body just fights it off. I am begging you to consider the benefits of protecting your daughter or yourself against a disease that will strip them of there woman hood. High Risk HPV does not just affect slutty or easy women it can affect us all regardless of how careful you are or how many partners you have. GET THE SHOT. Dont fight a disease that is preventable.

    • Posted By: summer4077 @ 08/21/2008 3:30:50 PM

      I think that's where uninformed people are wrong. They think only easy women get HPV--not true at all. Like you said, a large majority of sexually active people (I've read anywhere from 50-75%) will contract HPV at some point in their lives. Usually the body can fight off the less aggressive strains, but the more aggressive strains lead to cervical cancer. I am so sorry you have had to go through that horrible experience. More women like you need to step up and talk to those people out there that are paranoid and skeptical to convince them that they can save their daughters' futures!.

  • Posted By: Nishu @ 08/21/2008 3:27:31 PM

    i would like to know what is the occurence of this disease?is it so common that one is mandatory to take the vaccine??

  • Posted By: gmhart @ 08/21/2008 3:09:05 PM

    Is he paid or not?
    Karen Springen says "You get no money from the drug company. Correct?"
    and he answers "No"

  • Posted By: Reconnaissance @ 08/21/2008 1:30:48 PM

    The article states: "Q- It seems it may not be as cost-effective to vaccinate older girls who are already sexually active. Why not?
    A- The vaccine is not beneficial for women who already have HPV."

    Sorry, but I disagree with your answer on that. There are over 100 *different* strains of HPV that have been identified to this point, obviously, not all of these cause warts and/or cervical cancer. Why would it not be beneficial to a woman who, yes, has HPV, but no, the strain she has is not the type that produces warts or cancer? Most women by the age of 26 are sexually active in this country so the chances of getting the "high-risk" cancer producing type would increase as the woman has different partners if she does not have it yet. There are about a dozen high-risk strains, so I may have one of the HPV strains that doesn't produce cancer and I sleep with a carrier of the high-risk, then I would get it too, and being unvaccinated would not protect me. If I had taken all dosages of the vaccine and the vaccine covered that strain, I would be protected, so saying it's not beneficial to someone who has it is foolish.
    Recent studies from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and from the University of Washington suggest that HPV may eventually be cleared, or rooted out altogether, in most people with well functioning immune systems as well, so a woman who has HPV now may not have it in a year or 2. I had HPV so I speak from personal experience, but my body flushed it out because I am young, healthy, and eat properly, and as a result, my pap smears are no longer abnormal. Once this happened, I rushed out to get the vaccine so I may be protected in the future. All material I read on this subject recommends women who have HPV or have had it to get this vaccine because it is not possible to know which type they have and this can protect from strains not yet present in the body. Those who say this vaccine is dangerous and can kill are not properly informed. Although at least 20 women who received the Gardasil vaccine have died, there is no evidence that deaths or serious outcomes were connected to the shot. It just happened to coincide. These women had exisiting ailments. It is your responsibility to INFORM your doctor of any pre-existing conditions which may react with this vaccine. The National Cancer Institute says, "FDA-approved Gardasil prevented 100 percent of the precancerous cervical cell changes caused by the types of HPV targeted by the vaccine ", and that's good enough for me.

  • Posted By: happygirl0314 @ 08/21/2008 12:50:31 PM

    As a woman with high Risk HPV I was diagnosed with Stage III Cervical Cancer at the age of 26. I now at 27 just had a hysterectomy. I am not a easy woman who has had many different sexual partners. I am 27 with no children and will never be able to have children. Please vaccinate your daughters or yourselves against High Risk HPV. I have gone through horrible amounts of treatements and then now I am not able to have a baby. My husband and I have always wanted a baby. Protect your daughters, why not?

  • Posted By: Karenn1 @ 08/21/2008 9:58:38 AM

    Do more test in about 10 years come back.This is an experiment virus mutate.Give kids Condom,sex education better. Will parents be notify before given a shot,sign consent letter. Letter from Merck guarantee no side effect and responsible for medical care if something go's wrong .Other wise hit the road.

  • Posted By: Missa @ 08/20/2008 10:06:01 PM

    I think it's because the vaccine doesn't cure the disease, it only prevents it from forming into certain types of cervical cancer, which males can't get. The vaccine only helps to prevent a very small percentage of the many different strands of the virus. Since it's not a cure it wouldn't matter if a male was vaccinated, which is why we need to get back into the lab and come up with something even better that DOES treat both males and females.

    • Posted By: summer4077 @ 08/21/2008 8:14:23 AM

      Testing is currently underway for men. Gardasil doesn't just protect against cervical cancer but also genital herpes and other cancers that can be caused by HPV strains. The strains the vaccination protects against can also cause skin and other cancers in the body (I was surprised when my dr. told me HPV also causes other cancers!)...cervical cancer is just the most common, and a big killer of women.
      I think this is just the first step in possibly developing a vaccine for all cancers, which would be a godsend! It's sad that some are so paranoid that they will not prevent their daughters from possibly getting an awful disease that will slowly and painfully kill them. http://www.fda.gov/CBER/products/hpvmer060806qa.htm

  • Posted By: AmyO78 @ 08/21/2008 8:03:32 AM

    I have a problem with a mandated vaccination such as this one. Young women have died from this vaccination. Check out mercola.com to find out more information. The government is pushing for something that stills needs to be studied more. I do feel that there is value in this but I do not want the government to tell me or my future children what to do.

    • Posted By: summer4077 @ 08/21/2008 8:09:31 AM

      http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/vaers/gardasil.htm Thousands have been given the vaccine and less than 20 have died. Of those deaths, the investigations have not been able to 100% conclude that the deaths were related to the vaccine. In trials, 17 died and investigations found that none were related to the vaccine.
      I was just barely able to get it. I'm 26 and just had my first of the series last month. I have watched my aunt battle cervical cancer for 5 years, starting at 35. It keeps coming back, no matter what they do. Believe me, it's been pretty horrific for her and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Vaccines have eradicated many terrible diseases in this country like smallpox and polio--why not cervical cancer?

  • Posted By: wildlifeusa @ 08/20/2008 11:55:23 PM

    Yes I support it. Also I am 50 and single, I would get the vaccine if I could. It makes me mad that they won't allow me to get it.

  • Posted By: kapauldo @ 08/20/2008 11:14:20 PM

    (linkback) Yes or No? Do you support HPV vaccination (cervical cancer) for girls? [VOTE] - http://www.thriveorfail.com/16b49

  • Posted By: kapauldo @ 08/20/2008 10:04:55 PM

    (linkback) - http://www.newsweek.com/id/154381

  • Posted By: C. MacLean @ 08/20/2008 5:38:04 PM

    Is there a reason we aren't vaccinating the other 50% of the population - the men who spread it? Seems to me if we only vaccinate the women, they retain the stigma of "catching" a sexually transmitted disease. If we vaccinate everyone, we have a much better chance of stopping the epidemic, and removing the stigma.

Reply

Report Abuse

Enter comments if any for reporting abuse