HPV vaccination

A WOMAN’S RIGHT
By Shilpa Esther Trivedi

Cervical cancer is often linked to genital human papillomavirus, the most common sexually transmitted infection. HPV has also been linked to other types of cancer in both men and women. 

Fortunately there’s a vaccine to protect against some types of HPV, which could eventually all but eradicate several strains of HPV and significantly diminish the threat of cervical cancer. Unfortunately, many people still haven’t been vaccinated, and of those who are vaccinated, many fail to complete the three-shot series.

One major reason people don’t get the vaccine is anti-choice propaganda suggesting that the vaccine is harmful and youths who are vaccinated will engage in increased sexual activity. Both these claims have been proven false. Repeatedly.

It’s disappointing that the backlash is motivated by the fact that HPV is often, though not always, transmitted through sexual contact. This sets a dangerous precedent for the development of future vaccines that protect against other sexually transmitted infections.

If we had a vaccine for HIV, would parents not protect their children out of concern that it might compel them to become sexually active?

The availability of preventive care like condoms, birth control or the HPV vaccination doesn’t make people more sexually active—it makes sex safer. The vaccine is most effective before engaging in sexual activity, hence the point of giving it to adolescents.

A study published Oct. 1 confirmed the vaccine’s safety. Fainting and infection, the only occasional side effects, are common for most vaccines. Like rabies and measles. In fact, getting any shot could cause fainting and infection.

Some people are simply anti-vaccine. In Oregon, it’s common for parents to obtain exemptions for vaccinations. While I tend to support anything concerning body autonomy and an individual’s right to determine what goes into their body, refusing to vaccinate isn’t medically sound.

Not only is it potentially dangerous for your own child; it could also pose serious health risks for any other children they come into contact with. Vaccinating does not protect just one child; it stops diseases from spreading through a community.

Studies have shown that in areas where many people receive the HPV vaccination, the benefits reach the whole community. This summer, researchers found that women who haven’t been vaccinated but live in communities where the vaccine is common have a reduced chance of contracting HPV.

This doesn’t mean you’re safe if you haven’t had the vaccination. But as more and more people continue to be vaccinated, the community as a whole becomes safer.

My biggest issue with the backlash is how many males still haven’t been vaccinated. Although most information suggested the vaccine was safe for males much sooner, it wasn’t recommended until later, and even now many boys aren’t vaccinated.

Part of being sexually active is being responsible enough to think about and protect your potential partners. Even men less concerned about getting HPV, genital warts or some cancers ought to remember that they can still spread an STI that may cause cancer for their partners.

The cost of the vaccine depends on your insurance plan—it may not cost you anything. In the long run, though, preventive care is almost always cheaper.

We’re still nowhere close to where we ought to be in addressing many STIs and preventing a multitude of cancers. But a vaccine is out there that protects against even a few of these diseases, and choosing not to be vaccinated is highly irresponsible.