HPV Vaccine – What You Should Know About Gardasil

The human papillomavirus (commonly known as HPV) is a cause for concern, especially among women, as it has been linked to cervical cancer. Each year in the U.S., more than 17,300 HPV-associated cancers are reported, including about 12,000 cervical cancers.

There is a vaccine available to prevent certain types of HPV, and this vaccine (called Gardasil) has raised concern due to possible side effects. It is important to be informed on both the benefits and the possible risks of the HPV vaccine. Here is information to consider:

CDC Recommendation

The vaccine prevents cervical cancer and genital warts due to HPV. It works by protecting against the four types of HPV that most commonly cause these diseases.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the HPV vaccine for 11-and 12-year-old girls. The vaccine can be given to women up to age 26 who have not received the vaccine earlier. Ideally, females should get the vaccine before their first sexual contact, because HPV is sexually transmitted. The virus is most common in young people who are in their late teens and early 20s.

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S., with about 20 million people currently infected. Women have an 80 percent chance of getting HPV by the time they are 50. With such a large population affected by HPV, the Gardasil vaccine is just as important as vaccines for other diseases.

Is Gardasil Safe?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention closely monitor the safety of all vaccines through the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). The HPV vaccine has been licensed as safe. Before it was approved by the FDA, the vaccine was studied in thousands of girls and women from ages 9 through 26.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Associatio... reviewed all the adverse events reported to the VAERS and their findings shows the following:

* The most common events reported were: syncope (or fainting), which is common after needle injections, especially in pre-teens and teens; local reactions at the site of immunization (pain and redness); dizziness; nausea; and headache.

* Included in the VAERS reports were 32 reports of death. These deaths were reviewed, and there was no common pattern that would suggest they were caused by the vaccine.

* There were also reports of pulmonary embolus (blood clots in the lung). Of the people who had blood clots, 90 percent had a known risk factor for blood clots, such as taking oral contraceptives (birth control pills).

* There were two reports of unusual neurological illness (per autopsy, probable variants of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS) often referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease” that resulted in the death of two young females. There is no current evidence suggesting that the HPV vaccine caused these illnesses.

Based on ongoing assessments of vaccine safety information, the FDA and CDC continue to find that Gardasil, the HPV vaccine, is a safe and effective vaccine. Both agencies continue to monitor the safety of this vaccine, with the public’s health and safety the top priority.

The Takeaway: Vaccination Can Help

The HPV vaccine gives us an opportunity to protect women from cervical cancer. It is a safe and effective vaccine and recommended to all patients within the appropriate age range.

For more information on the HPV vaccine and its safety: www.CDC.gov/vaccines