Should states require the HPV vaccine?

Question

Texas is trying to pass this, even though the vaccine has not been around that long medically, and manufacturered by Merck (Vioxx, anyone?)

I don't think getting vaccinated is a bad idea, it's probably a good one. It's just that the vaccine (the only one) that is on the market is questionable at best and probably not ready for government requirement, such as measles, which has a proven history.

Answer 1

No, certainly not at this time.

The Facts About GARDASIL

1) GARDASIL is a vaccine for 4 strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), two strains that are strongly associated (and probably cause) genital warts and two strains that are typically associated (and may cause) cervical cancer. About 90% of people with genital warts show exposure to one of the two HPV strains strongly suspected to cause genital warts. About 70% of women with cervical cancer show exposure to one of the other two HPV strains that the vaccine is designed to confer resistance to.

2) HPV is a sexually communicable (not an infectious) virus. When you consider all strains of HPV, over 70% of sexually active males and females have been exposed. A condom helps a lot (70% less likely to get it), but has not been shown to stop transmission in all cases (only one study of 82 college girls who self-reported about condom use has been done). For the vast majority of women, exposure to HPV strains (even the four “bad ones” protected for in GARDASIL) results in no known health complications of any kind.

3) Cervical cancer is not a deadly nor prevalent cancer in the US or any other first world nation. Cervical cancer rates have declined sharply over the last 30 years and are still declining. Cervical cancer accounts for less than 1% of of all female cancer cases and deaths in the US. Cervical cancer is typically very treatable and the prognosis for a healthy outcome is good. The typical exceptions to this case are old women, women who are already unhealthy and women who don’t get pap smears until after the cancer has existed for many years.

4) Merck’s clinical studies for GARDASIL were problematic in several ways. Only 20,541 women were used (half got the “placebo”) and their health was followed up for only four years at maximum and typically 1-3 years only. More critically, only 1,121 of these subjects were less than 16. The younger subjects were only followed up for a maximum of 18 months. Furthermore, less than 10% of these subjects received true placebo injections. The others were given injections containing an aluminum salt adjuvant (vaccine enhancer) that is also a component of GARDASIL. This is scientifically preposterous, especially when you consider that similar alum adjuvants are suspected to be responsible for Gulf War disease and other possible vaccination related complications.

5) Both the “placebo” groups and the vaccination groups reported a myriad of short term and medium term health problems over the course of their evaluations. The majority of both groups reported minor health complications near the injection site or near the time of the injection. Among the vaccination group, reports of such complications were slightly higher. The small sample that was given a real placebo reported far fewer complications — as in less than half. Furthermore, most if not all longer term complications were written off as not being potentially vaccine caused for all subjects.

6) Because the pool of test subjects was so small and the rates of cervical cancer are so low, NOT A SINGLE CONTROL SUBJECT ACTUALLY CONTRACTED CERVICAL CANCER IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM — MUCH LESS DIED OF IT. Instead, this vaccine’s supposed efficacy is based on the fact that the vaccinated group ended up with far fewer cases (5 vs. about 200) of genital warts and “precancerous lesions” (dysplasias) than the alum injected “control” subjects.

7) Because the tests included just four years of follow up at most, the long term effects and efficacy of this vaccine are completely unknown for anyone. All but the shortest term effects are completely unknown for little girls. Considering the tiny size of youngster study, the data about the shortest terms side effects for girls are also dubious.

8) GARDASIL is the most expensive vaccine ever marketed. It requires three vaccinations at $120 a pop for a total price tag of $360. It is expected to be Merck’s biggest cash cow of this and the next decade.

These are simply the facts of the situation as presented by Merck and the FDA.

Answer 2

Those who are stating that the government is taking control, are ignorant. Plain and simple.
I am a woman with the HPV virus. I've had precancerous cells removed from my cervix and I am still going through the long process. I will be under the watchful eye of my doctor until I have a normal pap smear. Do you know the kind of fear that gives a person?
HPV infects millions of people each year. These are the facts. It is the fastest growing virus and each year more and more women die of cervical cancer.
If this vaccine is safe for young girls then WHY NOT???? Why would a parent deny their daughters the opportunity to be protected against cervical cancer, something that can end their lives???
Just because you give a young girl a vaccine against HPV does NOT mean they will become promiscuous. We don't know what could be down the road for our daughters. This is to protect and help save their lives.
One simple mistake is all it takes to become a carrier of this virus. And there is no cure.

Answer 3

This is to JC---"we don't know what could be down the road for our daughters". Hey you are right. This vaccine could possibly cause nerve damage, arthiritis, or who knows. It has not had lengthy studies on long term effects. As far as being ignorant--I do not want the government making that choice for me or my daughters. I realize you have HPV, but did you use a condom every time? Probably not. Giving that this vaccine only protects against 4 strains, would you still choose not to use a condom? This is not a foolproof vaccine. It will not end all cervical cancer. Making it mandatory is B.S.

Answer 4

I'm not sure if it should be required, but it should be offered to all girls when they hit 13 years old. I know the ramifications of testing HPV positive. The series of tests that had to be done, not to mention the pap smears every 3 months. It took 4 years of this before I had a pap smear come back normal. I'm getting this vaccine for my daughters. It's just safer.

Answer 5

What gives government the right to determine who may or may not become promiscuous years down the road?

This is an invasion of privacy in the worst form, as well as a means of doing a lot of harm, both physically and mentally, to our young girls.

If the vaccine is made available, proven to be helpful, and recommended by physicians on an individual patient basis - well, maybe.

Answer 6

No, just because it is manufactored by Merck. When I first saw the commercial it looked like a Public Health message and then I saw that Merck was sponsoring the commercial.

I would wait a long time before I take it.

And the interesting thing is that it something that women, not men have to take.

Answer 7

Yes they should. HPV is the fastest growing STD out there. Men give it to women and have no signs. Women get it and have no outward signs. They would probably not even realize they have it until they go for their annual pap smear. If it goes untreated it turns into cancer. The future will be awful if we ignore this problem.

Answer 8

Absolutely not!! It should totally be the person's choice to have this vaccine or not. What kind of America are we headed for if we allow state governments to make it a law to get a certain vaccine? Of course if this pertains to the health and welfare of a child that is incapable of making that decision this could vary but short of calling it child abuse I would leave this kind of vaccination up to the consenting age women and/or the parents of girls to decide when and if they want it. Thank You.

Answer 9

just tell the authorities to send the vaccine free to india after all thats where americas drugs r tested arent they

Answer 10

Yes it should. It would be a good fight against STD's. Texa's city Lubbock has the highest STD rate in America. It is a good fight against STD's and cancer and hopefully we can decrease the cancer deaths and rates significantly.