Here's a simple choice: Would you rather potentially develop cancer or take what many experts say is a harmless vaccine that would prevent you from developing certain forms of cancer for the rest of your life?
It's a no-brainer, right?
Well, you'd think so, yet use of the vaccine for Human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause genital warts, cervical cancer and cancers of the vulva, vagina, penis, anus, and head and neck, has completely stagnated according to a new study, "National, State and Local Area Vaccination Coverage among Adolescents Aged 13-17 Years," released by the the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on August 25, 2011.
While HPV is becoming as common as a cold, with at least 50 percent of sexually active men and women contracting HPV at some point in their lives, the HPV vaccine is barely catching on. Fewer than half of all teen girls have begun the HPV vaccination, and, even when teen girls begin the vaccination, only two in three complete the series.
There are also significant racial, ethnic and poverty disparities for HPV vaccination completion rates and in cervical cancer rates, so the disparities in the vaccination rates will continue to compound the disease disparity. It is clear that paying for the vaccination has been an issue, however it is now free of cost for most teens as part of the prevention benefits of the Affordable Care Act.
Currently, approximately 20 million Americans are infected with HPV, and another 6 million are infected each year.
There are painful consequences to our failure to vaccinate: Annually, around 12,000 women develop cervical cancer, 3,700 develop vulvar cancer, 1,000 develop vaginal cancer and 2,700 develop anal cancer.
According to the National Institutes for Health (NIH), the estimated lifetime total medical cost of HPV infection for men and women aged 15-24 is $2.9 billion, which makes HPV the second most expensive STD after HIV. In addition, the direct medical care costs associated with cervical cancer were estimated to equal $1.7 billion in 1996 dollars, according to the CDC.
One of the great gifts of the modern world is medicine -- the ability to prevent or cure ailments. Cancer has alluded this gift and proven to be incredibly dangerous and, sometimes, hard to catch in time -- especially when it comes to cervical and vulvar cancer.
I believe that we need public health officials to begin a major education campaign that overcomes parental misunderstandings about vaccines and the willingness of some politicians to put the future health of today's youth at unnecessary risk because they are squeamish about talking about anything with any sort of connection to "s-e-x."
With the development of the HPV vaccine, we have the ability to prevent thousands of cancers and deaths each year, yet we don't. We're turning our backs on progress and intentionally making life more difficult and expensive and potentially shorter for millions Americans.
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"With the development of the HPV vaccine, we have the ability to prevent thousands of cancers and deaths each year, yet we don't. We're turning our backs on progress and intentionally making life more difficult and expensive and potentially shorter for millions Americans."
This confidence is based on what?
Meanwhile parents who've learned from hard experience that vaccination in this country sorely needs independent safety monitoring are having to step up and fill in the gap:
http://www.ageofautism.com/2011/09/lab-finds-hpv-dna-in-blood-of-gardasil-recipient-2-years-post-vaccination.html
"Gardasil victim found to have HPV DNA in her blood 2 Years Post-Vaccination
13 different vaccine vials – 13 different lots of Gardasil from around the world tested: Results – 100% contamination with HPV Recombinant DNA."
"Dr. Lee firmly stated: 'Based on medical literature and some of the FDA/Merck’s own publications, adventitious (coming from an outside source) DNA in an injectable protein-based vaccine may increase the risk of autoimmune disorders and gene mutation which may lead to malignancies.'”
Are we preventing or causing cancer here?
Why would someone not want to prevent a horrible disease that kills 4 thousand women each year, and means 12000 more undergo difficult and unpleasant treatment for invasive cancer?
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/vaccines/hpv/gardasil.html
This vaccine saves far more lives than it's taken. Show me these "substantial numbers" before telling me and the women in my life we don't deserve to prevent our cancer.
This type of oversight is typical in such comments. As I pointed out below, they are quick to point to deaths occurring in vaccinated populations but conveniently overlook the fact that roughly the same number of deaths occur in non-vaccinated populations of equal size.
In other words, death happens, but not because of this vaccine.
"As of June 22, 2011 there have been a total 68 VAERS reports of death among those who have received Gardasil® . There were 54 reports among females, 3 were among males, and 11 were reports of unknown gender. Thirty two of the total death reports have been confirmed and 36 remain unconfirmed due to no identifiable patient information in the report such as a name and contact information to confirm the report. A death report is confirmed (verified) after a medical doctor reviews the report and any associated records. In the 32 reports confirmed, there was no unusual pattern or clustering to the deaths that would suggest that they were caused by the vaccine and some reports indicated a cause of death unrelated to vaccination."
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/vaccines/hpv/gardasil.html
"SANEVax is reporting that as of January 15, there are now 21,171 adverse reactions and 91 deaths reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. This is an estimated 1 to 10 percent of injuries and deaths reported. The United States government needs to know that medical consumers are demanding that an independent study be conducted on the safety and efficacy of Gardasil before the vaccine damages one more adolescent girl or boy."
http://www.naturalnews.com/031502_Gardasil_documentary.html
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/10/25/prominent-scientist-warns-of-hpv-vaccine-dangers.aspx
The statement that "...91 deaths (have been) reported...." implies that the HPV vaccine has actually caused 91 deaths.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The reality is that, among vaccine recipients, 91 deaths have occurred from a variety of causes, and that in an unvaccinated group of equal size roughly 91 deaths have also occurred, obviously from non-vaccine-related causes.
TheyDidntListentoNoah should stop peddling falsehoods.
Need I say more?
Only certain strains of the HPV virus cause cancer - but how to know which strain you have? None.
Apparently, there is also no way to test for HPV in men - and apparently no interest in developing a test for it.
I've had people tell me that years ago, they got genital warts, were given a pill or a shot and were cured - but no mention of a cure now. "Once you get it, you will always have it, but it will go dormant or be suppressed by your immune system within two years."
For the warts, its freeze off or acid where they don't show up - but are still there, in the skin, still transmittable.
So, until health professionals make a big deal about it and there are tests - nobody will care about HPV.
The problem with that is that SOME cases (10-15%) persist and some of these do progress to more severe disease.
To put this in understandable numbers, each year in the US we have 12,000 cases of cervical cancer, and roughly 3,700 deaths (about 10 each and every day). We also have 300,000 to 500,000 cases of moderate or severe cervical dysplasia that require surgical intervention.
The HPV vaccines can safely and effectively prevent 70% of these cases and deaths.
To say that no one cares about that is just silly.
God only knows what the death toll from HPV would be like if they didn't do smears or used condoms.
If the clinic staff are saying that they are dismally failing to apply National standards and guidance for treatment of lesions caused by HPV, and should be delicensed as a minimum.
I'm in Mississippi. 'nuff said, I suppose.
I'm going to try to find a Doc that will take it seriously and get me the info I need. Looking for a Cure too! So far, the only thing that I've seen that is promising is Rick Simpson's "Run from the Cure" Marijuana Oil. Too bad its illegal.
Extreme 90 day dosing with Vitamin C and Immune boosters with Colon Cleanse and Full Body Detox systems is also "Guaranteed" to work ( details for $19.95 )...