Approximately 20 million Americans are currently infected with HPV. HPV is so common that at least 50% of sexually active men and women get it at some point in their lives.
Low-risk strains do not put people at risk for cancer. Sometimes low-risk HPV types can also cause visible changes in the genital area, called genital warts. Genital warts are growths or bumps in the genital areas of men and women. They usually are painless. They may be raised, flat, small or large, and single or multiple.
High-risk strains can cause cancer if they persist and change cells over many years. Cervical cancer in women is the most serious health problem caused by high-risk HPV.
According to the National Cancer Institute and the CDC, the great majority of HPV infections go away on their own and do not cause cancer.
Gardasil is the most well-known HPV vaccine, but a second vaccine, called Cervarix, was approved in 2010. Both Gardasil and Cervarix are given as a series of three injections over a 3-month period.
The HPV vaccines have only been proven effective in women who receive it before they become sexually active.
The U.S. Center for Disease Control’s recommendation states: “Both vaccines are recommended for 11 and 12 year-old girls, and for females 13 through 26 years old, who did not get any or all of the three recommended doses when they were younger. These vaccines can also be given to girls beginning at age 9.”
Dr. Diane Harper was a lead researcher in the development of the two HPV vaccines and has made headlines recently speaking out about the vaccine--some go so far as to say speaking out against the vaccine she helped to create. She has said that the controversial drugs will do little to reduce cervical cancer rates and are likely putting women at risk. At a conference, Dr. Harper said, “even if we get the vaccine and continue PAP screening, we will not lower the rate of cervical cancer in the US.”
Dr. Harper, who is also a consultant to the World Health Organization, says that 4 out of 5 women with cervical cancer are in developing countries, and suggested that the risk-benefit analysis for Gardasil in other countries is different than in the U.S. However, she thinks that in the U.S. the risks of serious adverse events including death is on par with the death rate of cervical cancer.
Since 2006, 15,037 girls have officially reported adverse reactions from Gardasil, including Guilliane Barre, lupus, seizures, paralysis, blood clots, brain inflammation, and others. The CDC acknowledges that there have been 44 reported deaths.
An informal poll of the female staffers in the Endless Beauty offices reveals that about half got the HPV vaccine and half didn't get it.
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Dr. Joseph Mercola sums it up best: "While it’s true that many women get HPV, only in a small number of cases does HPV progress to cervical cancer. So before you even think about getting vaccinated with Gardasil (or having your daughter vaccinated), realize that it’s for a virus that clears up on its own 90 percent of the time.”
We encourage you to take a healthier approach to sex, and that includes using the facts on the HPV vaccine to make your own decisions, while consulting your healthcare provider, on the best choice for you.
Lyssa Myska Allen is editorial director at EndlessBeauty.com. This article was prepared with the help of Veronica Pike, RN, BSN.
