HPV Vaccine: Is it Really Worth It?
Imagine you go to the doctor's office and the doctor suggests an HPV vaccine for you. The doctor says the vaccine will prevent four types of HPV that could lead to cervical cancer. So, what is HPV? HPV stands for Human Papillomavirus, which is a virus spread by skin-to-skin contact. While HPV vaccines may be beneficial to some, I believe there are still too many questions about its safety and effectiveness to make it mandatory for all women and children as young as nine years old.
So, according to my research, the HPV virus alone isn't that serious. Most HPV alone goes away on its own anyway in less than two years! Also, most of the cancers HPV vaccines can prevent are usually detected earlier by routine tests ("Oncology Dietition Exposes Fraud in CDC's HPV Vaccine Effectiveness Study", Dr. Mercolca 16 June 2013). Finally, not everyone who gets vaccinated for HPV lives a life where they could catch the virus ("Cervical Cancer Screening in Women 30 and Older" 19 Feb. 2013).
HPV vaccines also may not be as safe as they are said to be. Up until May 13, 2013, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System received about 30,000 adverse events happen after HPV vaccination ("Oncology Dietitian Exposes Fraud in CDC's HPV Vaccine Effectiveness Study", Dr. Mercola 16 June 2013). The Japenease has even stopped recommending HPV vaccines after serious side effects were uncovered (Why Japan has Withdrawn HPV Vaccine Recomendation" 2012). The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program has given out nearly 6 million dollars to just 49 victims of HPV vaccine side effects (Oncology Dietitian Exposes Fraud in CDC's HPV Vaccine Effectiveness Study", Dr. Mercola 16 June 2013). That's a lot of money for just 49 victims!
Lastly, HPV vaccines shouldn't be mandatory because it is not spread by casual contact. Unlike other diseases kids are vaccinated for, HPV can't spread in a regular school day. I think it is nessessary to have vaccines for diseases like rubella, dipthena, and pertussis because they could be spread by coughing and sneezing, but HPV isn't so easily spread. Because of this, I don't think it is nessessary to have a vaccine for HPV.
People who are for HPV vaccines argue that 70% of cervical cancer cases are caused by two types of HPV that the vaccine covers ("HPV Vaccine: What You Need to Know"). That may be true, but in the USA, only about 10,000 cases of cervical cancer happens a year ("HPV Vaccine: What You Need to Know"). Which means only 8,652 cases of cervical cancer are caused by the two cases of HPV the the vaccine covers. Finally, even if you get HPV vaccines, you still need to get routine tests ("Understanding HPV Vaccines" October 2012).
In conclusion, I believe that HPV vaccines shouldn't be mandatory for women and children as young as nine years old because there are too many questions about its safety and effectiveness. I think this way because HPV viruses alone aren't that serious, they may not be as safe as they are said to be, and because HPV isn't spread by casual contact. So, do yourself a favor and stay away from HPV vaccines because it's not worth the risk.
Bibliography
"Cervical Cancer Screening in Women Ages 30 and Older".16 June 2013.mercola.com.Web.7 Feb. 2016. http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/about/
Mercola."Oncology Dietitian Exposes Fraud in CDC's HPV Vaccine Effectiveness Study".16 June 2013.Web.7 Feb 2016. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/07/16/hpv-vaccine-effectiveness.aspex.
"Understanding HPV Vaccines". Health Matters.October 2012.arhp.org.Web.7 Feb 2016. http://www.arhp.org/Publications-and-Recource/Fact-Sheets/Understanding-HPV-Vaccine.
"Why Japan has Withdrawn HPV Vaccine Recomendation".Canadian Women's Jealth Network. www.cwhn.ca.Web.7 Feb. 2016.www.cwhn.ca/en/node/46030