Study lends more support to HPV vaccine

Vaccination having amazing impact on eradicating some cancers

Just 10 years after its introduction, a vaccination has sliced the cervical cancer rate in half.

According to a report by the BBC, the human papilloma virus (HPV) was first administered in Australia a decade ago, and since then, has been used in 130 countries.

Given its success rate, Professor Ian Frazer told the BBC that the vaccine could eradicate the cancers caused by HPV within 40 years. That’s an amazing achievement, and one worth discussing.

In April, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that about 45 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 to 59 had some form of HPV, and about 25 percent of men and 20 percent of women had strains with a higher risk of cancer. Essentially, 20 percent of Americans carry a virus that can potentially cause cancer.

The statistics show that HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States, according to the CDC.

Nearly 14 million new infections occur annually. In the majority of cases, the CDC reports, the virus goes away over time, and doesn’t cause any symptoms. However, the virus can cause throat, tonsil, anal, vaginal, penile and cervical cancers, as well as genital warts. In fact, HPV is the most common cause of cervical cancer.

The HPV vaccination, however, helps prevent infection, in turn reducing cancer rates.

But for the vaccination to work, parents need to make sure their children get fully vaccinated — and that means both boys and girls. The CDC recommends children between the ages of 11 and 12 get the HPV vaccine, which requires three shots over a six-month period.

And if 11-12 seems young, it is — but there’s a reason. The vaccination is most effective if it’s administered before a person is sexually active.

This study is yet another that proves the vaccination program is effective and saves lives.

Science has found a way to prevent a cancer from forming, and that’s an astounding step forward.

Talk to your pediatricians, and learn more about the HPV vaccine.

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