Pros And Cons Of Hpv Vaccine

The “Sex” Vaccine Most people know what vaccines are and have received them during our childhood years; but past that knowledge, most people do not think much about vaccines until we have children of our own. Some parents are more skeptical than others on the topic of vaccinations, but most parents choose this preventative measure in protecting their children from harmful diseases. However, in the case of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, there is quite a controversy as to if it is appropriate to administer the vaccine to pre-teen to teenage children. Genital human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually-transmitted infection in the United States; an estimated 14 million persons are newly infected every year (Satterwhite,

According to the CDC and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the vaccine is not safe for pregnant women, persons with anaphylactic allergies to the vaccine’s components such as baker’s yeast or latex, persons with autoimmune diseases, and persons with moderate to severe infections; these persons are advised to defer vaccination until they are infection-free. Temporary gastrointestinal symptoms can also occur including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and/or abdominal pain. Syncope is also a risk factor with the HPV vaccine. According to Merriam-Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature, syncope, also known as fainting, is the act of losing consciousness due to insufficient blood flow to the brain. The young age at which the vaccine is recommended is something to be reviewed as well. In a personal interview with a mom of 2 teenage sons, an understandable caution toward the subject of the HPV vaccine is expressed: “I do not want my boys to be subjected to the virus and want to protect them from the threat of cancer; however, I am hesitant to allow a newly approved vaccine to be injected into the boys. I do not know anything about it. Have they even done studies? Is this a fully-approved drug? Even more, I do not want my teenagers to think that this vaccine is, in any way, condoning them to become sexually active or protecting them from all STD’s.” (White, Wendy). This seems

It seems clear that, even though there are some relative risks, the HPV vaccine is a necessary addition to a child’s vaccine schedule. In an in-person interview with a family practice nurse practitioner, she expressed the following as her medical advice to unsure and unnerved parents. “When faced with a concerned parent, I explain to them this about his or her decision. Even if your child is a virgin until they get married, their partner might not be and your child would then be at the same risk in adulthood as they are now as a teenager. If someone could then tell you that a vaccine could prevent a majority of cervical cancer for your child later on in life, then that is a pretty big deal. This vaccine also prevents contraction of the STD and its genital warts.” (Flores, Joey). This medical professional is in the majority with the consensus of her peers, but it seems that there is still a low vaccination rate, even 10 years after the vaccine was approved. According to a 2014 study conducted by the CDC, there is still an overwhelming amount of concern among parents. The main reasons for concern documented are lack of knowledge, feeling that the vaccine was not needed or unnecessary, safety/side effect concerns, not being recommended by the child’s physician, and the child not being sexually active at the current