The Effectiveness Of The Hpv Vaccine

The HPV virus has gone unseen by many until the recent controversy over the vaccine. However, this virus is thought to be one of the world’s most wide spread STD’s. “According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 6.2 million women and men are newly infected every year” with HPV. HPV has over 100 strains, with more than thirty that are sexually transmitted. Some of these strains are known to cause cervix, vulva, vagina, anus, or penis cancers and others can cause genital warts. “Studies have found the vaccine to be almost 100% effective in preventing diseases caused by the four HPV types covered by the vaccine—including precancers of the cervix, vulva and vagina, and genital warts” (“HPV Questions and

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a widespread sexually transmitted infection. Approximately 14 million Americans are infected with HPV each year ("HPV Vaccine for Preteens and Teens,"). HPV also causes several types of cancers, such as vaginal cancer and anal cancer. More than 27,000 women and men are affected by a HPV-related cancer annually ("The Link Between HPV and Cancer,"). The most common HPV cancers for women and men are cervical cancer, and oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers, respectively. Research has demonstrated that many cancers caused by HPV can be prevented by the HPV vaccine, which is administered in 3 doses over 6 months ("The

I have chosen this paper since one of my goals during the Integrated Practicum was to gain knowledge about cancer prevention and management in the community settings. I believe that this article might increase my understanding about the usage of HPV Vaccines in prevention of various types of cancer.

The benefits of receiving the HPV vaccine is according to the CDC (2017) is that it prevents genital warts and cancer is sexually active individuals. This is highly important because the infection of HPV can lead to cancer in the individual. According to the NIH National Cancer Institute (2016), states that all three of the available HPV vaccines that are out on todays market prevent HPV infection on HPV type 16 and 18. These two types of HPV are considered to be at extremely high risk for cervical cancer (NIH National Cancer Institute, 2016). The vaccine Gardasil specifically prevents HPV type 6 and 11 from giving an individual genital warts (NIH National Cancer Institute, 2016). Gardasil 9 vaccine prevents the same HPV types as Gardisal plus the following other HPV types 31, 33, 45, 52, and 48, which are considered to be high risk types for causing cancer (NIH National Cancer Institute, 2016). The third vaccine Cervarix, is no longer used in the United States to administer to patients (CDC, 2016).

I will put my conclusion first, because I had to read a lot of articles to understand how complicated this issue is. My opinion is that girls and boys should get the 3 series of shots, or like the European Union’s recent recommendation, a series of 2 shots to help most people prevent HPVs. But in all the reading I did, it is sadly going to be a controversial issue for a while. The anti-vaxxer movement got started because of a fake study in England. Unfortunately that movement is still causing doubt about all vaccines and will be responsible for more disease and deaths. That thinking will slow the progress of requiring the HPV vaccine from preventing many cancer deaths. Here is what I found out about the vaccine, the virus, and how political candidates are using it in campaigns.

HPV vaccination is the most common used method for preventing cervical cancer in young girls ranging from age nine to eleven years old. The overall perception of the vaccine is positive by the public because of its wide use and support by state laws, school systems and medical associations. According to the American Pediatric Association the vaccine has an excellent safety record. (Nirvi,1) A reasonable amount of parents still feel skeptical about mandatory HPV vaccination on their kids and lack great knowledge regarding the vaccine’s effectiveness.

The HPV vaccine has always been controversial. When the vaccine first debut in 2006, many parents felt that the vaccine was only for sexually active teens, and their children did not fit that mold. Others felt that the vaccine was dangerous and refused to be vaccinated. Unfortunately, the stigma around the HPV vaccine still stands.

The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI). There are over 100 types of HPV, but only 40 types affect the genital area and can cause genital warts and cervical cancer in women (“Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine”). In 2011 in the United States, 12,109 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer. Of those, 4,092 women died (“Cervical Cancer Statistics”). HPV is not only contracted from sexual intercourse, but also from skin to skin contact, including oral sex. The STI affects males and females involved in both homosexual and heterosexual sexual activities. Over 70 percent of sexually active individuals contract and carry HPV before the age of 80. In order to combat HPV two different brands of HPV vaccination – Gardasil and Cervarix – were created. Both include a vaccination plan of three shots over the course of six months. Gardasil was created by Merck & Co., and was licensed by the FDA in June 2006. The vaccine protects against HPV types 16 and 18, which lead to cervical cancer, as well as types 6 and 11, which cause 90% of genital warts. The FDA later approved Cervarix, created by GlaxoSmithKline, in 2009, which only protects against HPV types 16 and 18 (“Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine”). Originally, Gardasil was only approved for females, but three years after the release, the vaccine was approved

A study by Gerend et al. addresses the common perceived barriers regarding the HPV vaccine, including: adverse effects from the vaccine (55%), vaccine safety (46%), not enough knowledge about the vaccine (37%), not enough research (36%), have not gotten around to getting the vaccine yet, but plan to (36%), and more. The authors suggest that tailoring the conditions in which the participants receive their information regarding the HPV vaccine would increase the likelihood that they would be more willing to accept and adhere to the three-dose vaccine regimen.6

The HPV vaccine should be required because it saves lives. The HPV vaccine prevents several types of cancers. As stated earlier, the human papillomavirus can cause several types of cancer. The HPV vaccine produces antibodies that prevent the virus from infecting other cells, ultimately eliminating the risk of cancer caused by HPV. There are several statistics indicating that the vaccine saves lives. A study conducted in 2013 shows that since the introduction of the HPV vaccine, the types of HPV targeted by the vaccine have gone done 56% in females from the ages of 14 to 19. In a matter of 7 years, the numbers have reduced tremendously. Another study shows that the rates of HPV vaccines correlates with the rates of cervical cancer.

What is HPV (human papilloma virus)? HPV is the most common STI (sexually transmitted infection). There is a definite link with cervical cancer, which can cause other cancers. The Gardasil vaccine was approved in 2006 and the key age for this vaccine is eleven years old (Whitehead). Moreover, females can get vaccinated up to the age of twenty-six and the vaccine will still be effective. In, addition, males can be vaccinated up to the age of twenty-one and the vaccine will still be effective (Whitehead). However, vaccinations are still not widely accepted and often have a bad reputation associated with them which makes it harder to propose the idea of vaccination. When vaccinating younger children parents are the main controversy (Whitehead). Many parents do not feel the need to vaccinate their child against a sexually transmitted infection because the key age for this vaccination is eleven years old. Many parents do not want to think that their young child could ever be sexually active. However, the reason for vaccination at such a young age is to prevent HPV from ever being a problem. In addition, the vaccine, Gardasil, is effective against HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18 (FDA). Furthermore, there is a link between Gardasil vaccination and race within society as a whole. This link can widen racial inequality more than it diminishes racial inequality.

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.

Human Papillomavirus is a highly contagious sexually transmitted disease that is believed to be the precursor of several cancers, especially cervical cancer. Researchers have developed a couple of vaccines believed to prevent several strains of the virus. Much controversy has surrounded the birth of this vaccine because law makers want to make the vaccine mandatory for school -aged children. The public is outraged and therefore the controversy regarding the use of the vaccine is growing. However, there are many studies showing that the vaccine is safe to use and that it has been effective in lowering the rate of cervical cancer. The goal of this paper is to discuss different viewpoints in regards to the vaccine.

To help stop the trend of HPV, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention alongside the American Academy of Pediatrics came up with a plan of recommending three different vaccines for adolescents. The first was to prevent meningococcus. The second vaccine was a three-in-one shot called Tdap, which was made to prevent tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis, otherwise known as whooping cough. The last one was for HPV, which in turn can cause several different kinds of cancer. The results, however, were not exactly what was expected. The percentages for the of adolescents who took the meningococcal and Tdap were exceptionally high in the eighty percentile. Unfortunately, the percentage of adolescents who took the HPV vaccine were lower. Not even fifty percent of boys or girls actually finished taking the entire three-dosage vaccine.

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).