Introduction:
HPV vaccinations have been an ongoing debate; whether the vaccine is worth being administered to young girls is the fundamental question and if so at what cost. The primary reason I selected this topic is that HPV is a common virus complicated and often misunderstood infection; nearly 80 million people, about one in four are currently infected in the United States.
Background:
HPV is a class of more than 150 related viruses. Each HPV virus in this vast body receives a number which is called its HPV type. HPV is termed for warts (papillomas) some HPV types can cause. Some other HPV types can lead to cancer. HPV cancers consist of cancer of the cervix, vulva, vagina, penis, or anus. HPV infection can also cause cancer in the
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While there is screening for cervical cancer, there is no routine screening for the other 20,000 cancers caused by HPV infections each year in the United States. Often these cancers such as cancers of the back of the throat (oropharynx) and cancers of the anus/rectum aren 't detected until later stages when they are difficult to treat" ("HPV | Why is HPV Vaccine Important | CDC," n.d.).
Solution:
Luckily, two vaccines, Gardasil, and Cervarix, extraordinarily effective at preventing infection which protects against four HPV types (6, 11, 16, and 18), is approved by the FDA for use by females aged 9-26. "Each consists of three doses given over a six-month period. If administered before a woman has been exposed to the virus, the vaccines can prevent most cases of cervical cancer. For this reason, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends routine vaccination for girls 11 or 12 years of age and catch-up vaccination for girls and women 13 to 26 years of age who did not get all three doses when they were younger" ("Should the HPV Vaccine Be Mandatory? - Sexual Health Center - Everyday Health. com," n.d.).
Despite this, it has been the subject of firm opposition in the US; resistance can be separated into two distinct categories. Health care professionals cited "concerns about the vaccine’s effect on sexual behavior, low perceived risk of HPV infection, social influences, irregular preventive care, and vaccine cost
The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that is very common throughout the United States and worldwide (World Health Organization (WHO), 2016). There are over 100 different forms of the virus with 13 of these types being capable of causing cancer (WHO, 2016). HPV can lead to the development of serious health problems. Theses health problems are especially an issue for adolescent women due to the highly increasing STD rates among this age group (Kostas-Polston, Johnson-Mallard & Berman, 2012). There is a vaccine for many of the common types of HPV, however, many parents are refusing to vaccinate their daughters for various reasons. With the rising cases of STDs, less birth
The HPV vaccine reception has been similar to that of the hepatitis vaccine in that both are seen as an attack on morality, and are considered by some as a license for promiscuity. In the book Vaccine Allen quotes, ‘ “ If a 10- or 12-year-old is given a vaccine to protect against a sexually transmitted disease, then it’s implied they’d be engaging in risky sexual behavior,” said Pia de Solenni, director of “life and women’s issues” for the Family Research Council’ (433). The fact that HPV lives in the sexual organs and is spread by sexual intercourse or intravenous drug use has caused many parents to come to the belief that their children are not at risk. Some parents go so far as to suggest that if
Instead, if people saw how serious this virus is, then they may be able to more clearly see how beneficial the vaccinations are. HPV is so common and prevalent in today’s society that it will infect 75% – 80% of both males and females throughout their lifetime. Those infected with specific
To require a vaccine for HPV to be taken to prevent cervical cancer is unnecessary. Ninety-five percent of people diagnosed with HPV never accumulate cervical cancer. Not enough people accumulate cervical cancer to make the vaccine a requirement. If more people obtained cervical cancer from HPV the requirement of the vaccine would be more appropriate. Due to the lack of cancer receivers the vaccine should be optional.
HPV Vaccine is it helping young girls or making thing worse for them, everyone has their own believes if it will make a differences for young girls and their future. In both articles Mike Adams and Arthur Allen discusses their own issues on the topic of the HPV vaccines. Adams and Allen discuss the cost of the vaccine, public health issue, and the risk young girls having by getting the vaccine or not getting the vaccine.
There are many reasons that this vaccine could be beneficial, not only to our society, but to many of the underdeveloped nations of the world in which HPV and cervical cancer are still considered to be an epidemic (MacDonald). It could save the young women who get the vaccine from the future trouble of dealing with a highly invasive cancer, as well as protect them from the embarrassment that comes with contracting a venereal disease. However, the controversy of this topic is not in whether the vaccine is a benefit to women’s health, which many, including the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control, believe that it is; but in the debate over whether it is the parents’ right, not the states’, to choose what is best for their child. The question of mandatory vaccination raises medical, moral and legal issues that are not easily reconcilable (Lovinger). Many parents are opposed to the mandating of this vaccine for three reasons. First, HPV is not spread by casual contact, as are the other diseases that children are vaccinated against for the safety of the classrooms. Second, the vaccine has only been approved for a short while, thus not all of the side effects and long term effects are known. Last, parents are afraid that by getting their child vaccinated against a sexually transmitted disease they will be encouraging promiscuity. Gardasil would become the first vaccine mandated for school-aged children that targets a
Not a very strong case could be made for requiring that schoolgirls ages twelve and upward be required to be vaccinated against HPV. The vaccine only protects against two cancer-causing strains of HPV, so those who are vaccinated must still be regularly tested for precancerous changes in cervical cells, with a regular pap smear exam. Because of this many parents may object to exposing their children to the risks of side effects that come along with the vaccine. The HPV virus is spread by sexual contact, not airborne or casual interaction, so schools shouldn’t be able to mandate that the vaccine be a requirement for school girls.
HPV stands for genital human papillomavirus. It is a sexually transmitted virus and according to the Centers For Disease Control (CDC), “More than half of sexually active men and women (in the United States) are infected with HPV at some time in their lives.” (CDC) The National Cancer Institute says there are more than 200 types of HPVs. (Institute) At least 12 of those HPVs cause certain types of cancer, like vaginal and cervical, and genital warts. If you have an HPV virus it usually goes away on its own, and doesn’t have any symptoms. But if it doesn’t go away experts say it is responsible for many of the 10,000 yearly cases of cervical cancer, causing 4000 deaths each year. (CDC)
Cervical cancer is met with a vaccine with both pros and cons to suppress and annihilate it indefinitely. Although both Mike Adams and Arthur Allen inform the audience of the HPV vaccine, Adams vigorously argues, without evidence, that the vaccine is dangerous to humans while Allen is more sedate and discusses opposing sides to the vaccine. The HPV vaccine has its pros and cons to people that it has created debates to come down to the conclusion of a better solution for the drug companies and the people forcing to receive it. Though the HPV vaccine promises to cure cervical cancer, it has received its fair share of criticism.
The HPV vaccine is cancer prevention. Over thousands of cases of HPV cancers are detected every year in men and women. The HPV vaccination is important because it can prevent these cancers. The United States Food and Drug Administration approved this vaccine and it is one hundred percent safe. This vaccine is preventive care for the second leading cancer in women. It has been proven to be one hundred percent effective in prevention of cervical cancer, but the vaccine must be given to children between the age of 11 -17 before they become sexually active. After the age seventeen with young women most become sexually active and receive their first pap smear from their gynecologist, receiving the vaccine at this point is not as effective in prevention of cancers. Another benefit of receiving the vaccine during adolescent, is it supports people who may not have the medical knowledge or access to regular medical services.
HPV vaccinations have been involved in some heated debates involving the general public and the government for some time now; whether the vaccine is worth being administered to young girls is the underlying question and if so at what cost. In the articles “HPV Vaccine Texas Tyranny” and “The HPV Debate” both authors Mike Adams and Arthur Allen provide enlightening information on why the HPV vaccinations should not be mandated through legislation, Adams conveys his bias and explains how the government is over stepping its boundaries when it comes to the publics’ health while Allen on the other hand, is more opt to present analytical data on previous cases similar to the one he is currently facing.
The discussion section reiterates the primary purpose of this article. However, it also overlooks key data in the discussion and results sections. The prime focus is on how successful they have speculated the outcomes of the parental attitudes towards using the HPV information and the HPV vaccine. Again claiming that those in the intervention group who received the additional information reported a statistically significant increase and their perceived benefit repeatedly laid out in survey gaining 43% more likely to accept the HPV vaccine. However, more data is revealed in the descriptive and qualitative feedback section. Consequently, while the purpose is stated, generally did not determine value of the tested
After reading the article about the human papillomavirus (HPV), my curiosity spiked. As a mother of 2 girls, I will have to decide soon if the HPV vaccine is one I want my children to receive. I have head multiple arguments for and against the HPV vaccine, but have done little research on my own. As always, it is amazing how many questions can be answered and cleared by a few hours of research and self-education. Some of the amazing facts gathered include the discovery that it only takes one infected sexual partner in an entire lifetime to contract the HPV virus, 80% of sexually active people will contract the disease while experiencing no symptoms, and the virus is contracted via skin to skin contact making it very infectious.
The Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the virus responsible for cervical cancer. It is one the most common viral sexually transmitted infections. A vaccine was approved in 2006 that is effective in preventing the types of HPV responsible for 70% of cervical cancers and 90% of genital warts. Proposals for routine and mandatory HPV vaccination of girls have become sources of controversy for parents of school-aged youth, legislators, members of the medical community, and the public at large (Cooper et al. 2010).
This issue is relevant to clinical practice because not only is the HPV vaccine being refused, more individuals are being diagnosed with HPV and its associated cancers, and HPV is costing our health care system. With the increasing incidence of HPV infections, $2.7 billion is spent on follow-up of abnormal results from Pap tests, $108.3 million is spent on costs related to invasive cervical cancer, and $123.9 million is spent on external anogenital wart treatment (Chesson, Blanford, Gift, Tao, & Irwin, 2016). The annual cost for HPV infections up to age 24 is $2.8 billion for females and $62 million for males (Chesson, Blanford, Gift, Tao, & Irwin, 2016). Alternatively, the cost of the HPV vaccine ranges from $130-150 per injection, totaling $390-$450 for the vaccine series (Understanding HPV Vaccines, n.d.). The Vaccine for Children Program includes the HPV vaccine for males and females up to age 18; the HPV vaccine is also covered by most health insurance companies (Understanding HPV Vaccines, n.d.).