Only 15 percent of women survive advanced stages of cervical cancer. SO WHAT’S not to like? BOYS AND GIRLS beginning at age 11 or 12 should get the vaccine, which is a series of three shots over six months. THE VACCINE has been on the market a four short years. In that time, infections caused by the human papillomavirus in 14- to 19-year-olds have plummeted by half in the U.S. PARENTS and health professionals have a duty to today’s children to see they get the immunizations.
Every year, about 12,500 women in the United States contract the disease, of which about one-fourth will die.
The number could be reduced to almost zero.
The HPV vaccine has a 97 percent success rate of preventing females from contracting the cancer. The vaccine fights the human papillomavirus, or HPV, a virus that is transmitted sexually, and is the main cause of cervical cancer. It is most effective when administered to young girls, before they become sexually active.
Annual Pap smears help detect cervical cancer. Combined with these annual exams, the HPV vaccine makes cervical cancer all but preventable.
Not sure, but for some reason less than 50 percent of U.S. parents are seeing that their pre-teen daughters are getting the vaccinations. It’s suspected some see it as permission for their youngsters to be sexually active, rather than as a life-saving measure.
The reason boys are now included is that males also can get cancers and genital warts from HPV, the most common of all sexually transmitted diseases. Vaccinating boys also helps prevent the spread of HPV to future partners.
The young age is recommended because preteens have a better immune response from the vaccine than older teens.
The statistics somewhat surprise health experts. Only about one-third of preteens have received the vaccines.
Of preteen girls today who don’t receive the vaccine, it’s estimated 50,000 will contract cervical cancer.
The goal of health experts with the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is to have 80 percent of U.S. youths vaccinated against HPV.
Most insurance companies cover the course of shots. For low-income youths, the shots are free under the federally sponsored Vaccines for Children program.
The shots don’t send a message that promiscuity is OK. Rather, having your children vaccinated against HPV should be interpreted as a sign of love.
— Susan Lynn
