A recent study in Sweden that included close to one million girls aged 10 to 18 shoed that the vaccine for HPV (human papillomavirus) carries no serious side effects. Researchers followed the conditions of 300,000 vaccinated girls and 700,000 unvaccinated girls and compared the results approximately 180 days after the vaccinations were administered. When reexamined, the girls who were vaccinated showed no signs of increased side effects in comparisson to the unvaccinated girls.
These findings are important because they are further evidence for the scientific integrity of the HPV vaccine. As is the case with most new vaccines, the HPV vaccine has been challenged by worrisom parents and guardians around the world; however, with the results of this new study, those doubts can be more comfortably ignored. Similar to the study that proved smoking was harmful, these researchers compared two groups: vaccinated girls and unvaccinated girls. Yet, unlike the case involving smoking, the HPV vaccine proved to be harmless.
Other studies that involved nearly 10 years of follow-ups have indicated that the HPV vaccine is nearly 100% effective. Girls who are vaccinated display no signs of cell change related to cervical cancer– the disease that the vaccine is meant to combat. Overall, researchers are hoping that these results will lead to stronger solidarity amongst citizens, whose combined utilization of the vaccine will create a safer society.
Thanks for the comments, guys! I thought it was ironic that Andrew’s next lecture after I posted this blog was on vaccines. Personally, I have gotten the HPV vaccine (I’m a guy), and Andrew summed up why I did it pretty well. Getting vaccinated isn’t just good for an individual; it’s good for society. If 70% of people get the Gardasil vaccine, but 30% don’t, those 30% are endangering each other and those who haven’t had all three stages of the vaccine yet. The study clearly shows that the Gardasil vaccine doesn’t have many, if any, side effects, and the positives heavily outweigh any negatives.
Every vaccine has risk. In theory you can say that no vaccine is “safe”. Depending on the vaccine they each come with the possible side effects that you may feel. Most common ones are discomfort at the site and maybe fevers but nothing that lasts. I am very skeptical about the Gardasil shot because there are so many different things to consider. I haven’t received the shot yet because I cannot decide on if its a good idea. All of the facts listed in this blog post are very relevant and true and really make one think twice before HPV shot. Currently , despite studies I am waiting for something awful to happen in a few years to everyone who got the shot even though there is not scientific evidence to support that.
I actually received the Gardasil shot as well! This was actually one of the most painful shots I have received than all the others. I could feel it almost burn through my whole arm. It was a really weird feeling but my doctor said that was the usual. Anybody else feel the same way I did? Not just girls but boys are also recommended to receive the Gardasil shot. Here is a website that talks about the importance of the shots, age when doctors prefer girls/boys to receive the shots, and that these shots protect people from “HPV type 16 and 18 [that are the] cause [for] most cervical cancers”. – http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/hpv/vac-faqs.htm
Matthew,
I have received the Gardasil shot and I remember how hesitant my mom was at first at letting me get it. She waited about two years after the shot had been released to allow me to get it. I think one thing that this study may have forgot to mention is that the Gardasil vaccine is given in three doses. You get your first dose, you get your second dose and then 4 months after that you receive your last dose. I find it very interesting that they realized that there were no side effects of the shot. However, the time frame that they observed the different women for was the amount of time it takes for you to get all three doses. I think that an error in this study is that they should have followed the women after they received all three doses instead of just one and for a longer period of time. This vaccine may not have negative effects in the short run but in the long run it could be discovered that there are some negative effects of this vaccine. Merck pharmaceuticals has an entire web page with information on the shot because they produce it. Check it out!
https://www.merckvaccines.com/Products/Gardasil/Pages/dosageandadministration
The public’s reaction to the idea of taking vaccines reminds me of how we still decide to stay comfortable with choices that makes us comfortable despite the numerous amount of evidence which state that it would be better to change our decision. It’s good you brought this article up because it reminds me of how parents still refuse to vaccinate their children because of some unproven relation to autism. Nice blog! This article highlights the minor side effects of taking HPV vaccines and major ones which are quite rare and are not thought of to be directly caused by taking the vaccine. http://www.webmd.com/vaccines/adult-hpv-vaccine-guidelines?page=2