Before this, she felt peer pressure from her mommy group not to give her daughter the HPV shot.
It was a disturbing phone call. Usually cool, calm and collected, my friend was in tears and on the verge of losing it.
“I just came from my OBGYN…I need to get my uterus removed. How is it going to affect my sexuality?” Good question and something she should be concerned about.
A few days later my friend told me the entire story. She contracted HPV and ended up with high grade cervical cancer cells which, eventually, let to a hysterectomy.
The FDA gives the green light, but is it cost effective to give men Gardasil?
Should boys be vaccinated against HPV? This is the new hot button question after the Food and Drug Administration approved Gardasil use in men last week.
We haven't seen much from the mainstream media on Gardasil's side-effects. Most of the reporting about the HPV vaccine has to do with social issues. Knowing the risks is pretty important, though.
A new-new study shows a link between Genital Warts and lung carcinoma.
A recent study at the University of Louisville has found a link between non-small cell lung cancer and HPV. This is just a long string of setbacks for the Human Papillomavirus. But there's a vaccine. But not everyone thinks it's a good idea. You just can't win any more.
No April Foolin', today marks the start of STD Awareness Month.
While tomfoolery generally gets all the attention today, the first of April, there are other observances to be aware of this month. April serves as Sports Eye Safety Month, National Welding Month and, a least favorite for ranidaphobes like myself, National Frog Month.
Perhaps most importantly, with the CDC recently reporting that one in four teenage girls has at least one sexually transmitted disease (STD), April is the time of year for (STD) awareness. Out of the nearly 850 girls aged 14-19 who participated in the CDC's study, 18% tested positive for human papillomavirus (HPV), which can lead to cervical cancer.
The FDA is currently testing the anti-Genital Warts drug for the guys.
Gardasil is the immunization against HPV (commonly called Genital Warts). HPV can lead to cervical (and some say throat) cancer. The immunization is currently marketed to pre-sexual girls. But it is being used on boys in other countries and is under FDA trial for that purpose here. They really need a re-branding to make this work.
