There is no doubt that the new cervical cancer vaccine -- Gardasil -- is revolutionary. But writer Peter Sprigg, vice president for policy at the Family Research Council, shared yesterday on the washingtonpost.com that the public should consider two cautions when digesting the news of this breakthrough medical advance. He urges us, first, to understand that the vaccine is not 100 percent effective. It is 100 percent effective for the strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) it targets -- but it leaves 30 percent of HPV strains that cause cervical cancer untouched. And it does not prevent all cases of genital warts either. So it is largely effective. But it does not completely eradicate the disease. Sprigg also believes that parents should determine whether or not their young girls get the vaccine -- that it should not be mandatory. Mandating the vaccine might be in order if HPV was spread through blood or casual contact. But it is not -- it is spread by sexual contact. And families of young girls might best address this issue through education on behavioral issues alone, without interference from the government.
The wonder of the cervical cancer vaccine is not in question by this writer and the council he represents. But there is often a full picture that lingers behind good news and sensational headlines. And Peter Sprigg offers his take on what he believes lingers behind.
1. Abstinence programs don't work
http://www.alternet.org/story/37956/
and they are a colossal waste of money. The gentleman from the FRC won't tell you that.
Sprigg believes it is purely up to the parents, yet do they follow their teens around and monitor them all day to make sure they won't get the STD?
"...without interference from the govenment." That's another conservative hot button, but then they want the government to decide choices about birth, marriage, and death.
"But there is often a full picture that lingers behind good news and sensational headlines."
The full picture is that this IS a sensational scientific development. This is a incredible and rare opportunity to crush the 10,000 new cases of cervical cancer that occur each year resulting in approximately 4,000 deaths. Worldwide, where screening programs have not been as available as in the U.S., the toll is much higher, with approximately 500,000 cases diagnosed each year.
About two-thirds of all sexually active people can expect to become infected with HPV at some point in their lives, making it the most common STD in this country.
The HPV vaccines that have been developed are very effective at decreasing the number of high-risk HPV infections (91 percent effective). And, most importantly, they're effective at decreasing the number of persistent infections - the ones tha lead to cervical cancers. (100 percent).
The 70% coverage is correct, however we do not do yet know whether the vaccine will offer cross-immunity to the other high-risk types, a possibility.
Women who have been vaccinated will still need to have cervical cancer screening with Pap smears. It's also important for all sexually active, vaccinated women to continue to use condoms--again because the vaccine does not protect against all HPV types, and it offers no protection at all against other sexually transmitted diseases.
In recent years, religious conservatives have become increasingly reliant on HPV as a tool to attack condoms. They have denigrated condom use as “Russian roulette,” relying on false claims that condoms fail to provide any protection for HPV. They would actually have us believe that condoms increase HPV incidence. Although condoms may not eliminate the risk of transmitting HPV, the CDC recommends them for risk reduction (CDC, 2001). Since HPV may shed beyond the covered area, however, condoms do not provide as complete protection as they do for some other pathogens, such as HIV and gonorrhea. The claims of condom-use opponents who suggest that condom use leads to increased numbers of HPV infections are false and alarmist. Condom use cannot be blamed for the high prevalence of HPV infection or the incidence of cervical cancer among women in the U.S.
The young age group for administration of the vaccine was chosen because it's important to give the vaccine before HPV infection has occurred through sexual contact. The vaccine has not been found to be an effective treatment for already existing HPV infection.
There are few cancers that are understood to the degree cervical cancer is, and even fewer for which a comparably effective prevention has been discovered. Widespread adoption of this vaccine should mean that future generations of women will be able to avoid cancer.
Teach your teen about the vaccine AND spend some time talking to her about Mr. Spriggs' agenda. Keep her fully informed.
Posted at 8:55AM on Jul 16th 2006 by Michelle