Safety of the HPV Vaccine There have been concerns about the safety of the HPV vaccines. In Basu’s (2013) article they reviewed the evidence from the phase III trials and national programs for the HPV vaccine. After reviewing the data though the article showed that all the randomized control trials reported both their serious and non-serious adverse events that took place during the phase III trials. “There were 20,000 participants in the trial” (p.4). Pain at the injection site, headache, and fatigue were the most frequently reported issues. The serious adverse effects were very rare so the vaccine was considered safe. When reviewing the safety data from the national programs in Australia there were millions of doses given out and the most adverse side effects there were anaphylactic and allergic reactions, and these were not seen as any more dangerous than it is for other vaccines. “In the US about 40 million doses were given out and among the reports that were received by the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System which totaled 20,096 only 8% of these reports were actually were considered serious”(p.5). All the reports were reviewed and could not find any adverse events that occurred that could be ascribed to the vaccine. In the UK they reviewed the vaccine two years after it came out and concluded it to be safe. Reviewing the data from all three counties in the national programs showed that none of the deaths that occurred could be linked to the vaccine. So both the
In June 2006, Gardasil, a Human Papillomavirus vaccine made by Merck & Co., was licensed for use and brought to the market (“HPV Vaccine”). Gardasil, which is given into a series of three injections, targets the main types of HPV. The types targeted are HPV 6, HPV 11, HPV 16 and HPV 18, which cause ninety percent of the genital warts and are the leading causes of cervical cancer (“Cervical Cancer Symptoms, Causes, Treatments”). Brought to the attention by researchers “combined, those strains affect an estimated 3 million women in the U.S” (“HPV Vaccine”). Since HPV is so common in the United States, the makers of Gardasil are trying to get a law approved that will make the shots mandatory. In 2006,
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 unforgettable story of vaccines is a story of triumph and controversy. The saddest part of the story is persistent ignorance and a lack of education, comingled with the personal need of some parents to explain away the problems of their children, have caused the controversy to arise. The good news is that the triumphant reality of vaccines as a whole is still the larger enduring legacy. The human papillomavirus vaccine is not an exception to this rule; in fact despite all the controversy surrounding the vaccine, it is one of medicine’s greatest lifesaving gifts to us.
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
Many parents and organizations are opposed to this policy because they feel that it is an infringement on personal choice. While religious exemptions to HPV vaccination are allowed by the law, there is no built in policy for exemptions based on personal secular values. Some vegan families, for example, may feel uncomfortable vaccinating their children since animals are involved in the research and development of several vaccines, including the HPV vaccine. Individuals against animal testing, or recombinant DNA technology (Gardasil (Human Papillomavirus Vaccine) Questions and Answers, 2006) could feel uneasy about the Gardasil vaccine as well (Gardasil 9, 2014). In addition, some fear that this policy will “promot[e] promiscuity” (Marsa,
A virus that is the cause of warts of the hands and feet, as well as
Adams says that the vaccine “is absolutely worthless” (445), but doesn’t give supporting evidence for that statement. Allen is even-handed in his approach, citing studies that show the drug seems to be effective, although he expresses doubt about the rush to put it into use. Adams says that it is an “illusion” (447) that the drug is safe, though he doesn’t give examples of it having harmed anyone. Allen only states that there is “no guarantee it won’t provoke a rare side effect” (450). Adams said this mandate was the result of drug companies bribing and influencing the DEA, politicians, and the medical school (447). Allen simply states that the government and parents need to be won over by the drug companies before the mandate is put into effect (450).
Should schools require students to have the HPV vaccine? Human Papilloma Virus better known as HPV is a sexually transmitted infection that has the slight chance of becoming cervical cancer. Requiring that the vaccination for HPV be administered at the age of eleven before entering school is unjust and in reality unnecessary. The vaccine only protects against HPV for four to five years. Most eleven year olds do not even think about sex, and by the time they do have sex the vaccine is no longer effective in preventing HPV. The vaccine also cost upwards to four hundred dollars making families that can not afford it have to either go into debt or avoid the vaccine. Parents should be the ones to decide wether a child gets the vaccine.
Some of the vaccines have been reported to have some serious side effects, where some of them have included death. Some of the unfavorable effects have been reported and do vary greatly by the type of vaccine and have been gravely argued as to how many of these effects are a direct results of the vaccine. It is very difficult to determine
Prevention is better than finding a cure. This statement relates to the controversy surrounding the effectiveness and safety of childhood immunization. Every year many children and babies get sick and die from illnesses that could have been prevented with vaccinations such as; the Flu, Meningitis and Whooping Cough. The biggest argument here is whether or not there should be laws established declaring mandatory vaccinations for all children. Vaccinations should be mandatory because the benefits outweigh the potential risks. In the United States some states have actually enacted laws that require proof of specific vaccinations before allowing a child to go to school. Some states also allow exemptions. These exemptions could be due to
According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, 80% of people in America are infected by the Human Papillomavirus, also known as HPV, at some point in their lifetime. That would be as though, 25 out of the 30 students in this classroom have or have had this sexually transmitted disease. Only one group of desks in this class would be safe from its harmful effects. This is an incredibly common, and potentially deadly, virus, which is why we should mandate the HPV vaccine, Gardasil, for all teenage girls entering middle school.
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.
Adams lacks concrete data in supporting his facts and statements within his article, he doesn’t cite any professional studies to give concession to his stance, and he is basically basing all his information on assumptions. Adams provides no pros in his writing in regard to the vaccine, just negatives and what other major problems the ruling would bring about in the future. The reader would be lead to believe his article was an argumentative one.
This topic is extremely significant to my audience because a growing number of parents do not vaccinate their children due to fear of side effects. Parents today have lost confidence in in the vaccination industry as a consequence of sensationalism brought about by false evidence published and the celebrities that latched onto that claim. Sadly, some people have taken to considering the strong opinions and may not research vaccinations before making decisions
Among the many arguments for mandatory HPV vaccination, the foremost is that it is an important medical achievement and a major public health milestone. This vaccine has proven to be one-hundred percent effective in preventing the 4 HPV strains that are responsible for seventy percent of cervical cancers and ninety percent of genital warts. In addition, no serious side effects have been identified. Because this vaccine is a preventive measure, administration before onset of sexual activity is ideal; however, even females who have been sexually active can still benefit from this vaccination (Perkins et al., 2010). Nationally and internationally, the HPV vaccine will significantly reduce disease burden by reducing monetary and psychological costs of invasive procedures that remove precancerous and cancerous lesions. By combining vaccination with routine Pap smear screening, these public health efforts have the remarkable opportunity to eradicate cervical cancer (Ramet et al., 2011).