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.
