Teens, Young Women Encouraged To Get HPV Vaccine

[bluemoon24]

When the human papillomavirus vaccine was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration last summer, it was hailed as a medical breakthrough because it protects against the types of HPV that can cause cervical cancer.



Gardasil is the first vaccine approved to protect against certain types of HPV, a sexually transmitted disease that can cause cervical cancer and genital warts.



Medical experts recommend giving the vaccine to 11- and 12-year-old girls when they get other immunizations, but teens and young women also are encouraged to get vaccinated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the vaccine for girls ages 11 and 12 because it's most effective when it's given before the person becomes sexually active, but it's also approved for women as old as 26.



"Yes, it's true women may have been exposed to one or two of the HPV viruses that are covered by the vaccine, but likely not all four of them," said Dr. Janet Schaeffel. "So they'll get a partial benefit if not a complete benefit by being vaccinated."



She said a lot of her patients have been asking for the vaccine.



"It's very effective," she said. "It hasn't been associated with any significant health problems, and when they ask me what I think about it, I say, 'I think you should do it.'"



The CDC believes that 50 percent of all sexually active people will contract HPV sometime in their lives.



The vaccine works by building the body's immune system to protect against HPV. It's given with three injections during a six-month period.



Alix Haber, 17, is getting the HPV vaccine with the support of her mother.



"A vaccine against cancer is incredible, and I can't really see any reason why I wouldn't get it," Haber said.



Studies are under way to see if the vaccine is effective among women older than 26. It's also being studied for boys.



Kaynak: SağlıkHaber