What is HPV?
HPV is Human Papilloma Virus and it is an infection that spreads very fast with people who have unsafe sexual contact with another person. In the world, there are about 6 million people who get infected with this virus every year. The teen rate of getting an HPV is very high in developed countries. This infection can cause cervical cancer in women and penis cancer in women. This can also lead to anal cancer, throat cancer and genital cancer in some cases.
HPV Vaccine
There are many preventive vaccines in the market and it is recommended to vaccinate the pre teen boys and girls to protect them from being exposed to the risk. It is always advised to get help from the pediatrician where you always visit in case of other general vaccines. The vaccine is given in 3 shots and the interval between every shot is 1 or 2 months. The third shot has a long delay with a 6 month gap after the 2nd shot. The 3 shots should be given in order to protect them from the risk of being exposed to the virus.
These vaccines are studied and tested carefully and are safe to be given. The clinical trials included vaccinating almost 20,000 women that were aged between 16 to 26 in different countries before it was approved. The effects showed that it was effective in preventing the cells in the cervix to get exposed to the risk of HPV, which is the pre stage of the cervical cancer in women. Later also clinical trials were done on more than 40,000 males that aged between 16 to 26 years in 18 different countries and it proved that the vaccine was 90% effective in preventing the abnormalities that caused the genital warts and penis cancer. It was proved to be 78% successful in preventing the anal diseases. There are a lot of myths about the vaccines that it is made only for women and sexually inactive people do not have to get themselves vaccinated.
Every teen has to take this vaccine in order to protect the exposure of the virus. It is believed that the vaccine only protects girls and women from the cervical cancer, but it actually works for men to protect themselves and lower the risk of penis, anal cancer and genital warts. People who have multiple sex partners need to get it and also who are not sexually active need to get it. There is no evidence that the vaccine has harmed any teen or has developed promiscuity. Vaccination is a normal part of growing up days and like other vaccines this one is very normal.
The vaccine can protect you from any type of virus and will not cause cancer related to HPV. The vaccine injects anti bodies in the body which is made to fight the virus without exposing you to it. The Vaccines for children program provides vaccines for younger children and children who are above 18 years of age. This vaccination is given to all who are insured and non-insured.
