Merck and Perry sitting in a tree...

[roach]

In the words of Mother Teresa, "A prayer a day keeps the genital warts away."

I also use prayer to prevent pregnancy.

I do too.

ro"but it's my prayers to get laid that usually lead to that other prayer"ach

[monet2u]

Feds Say 20 Million Have Form of HPV
By LINDSEY TANNER, AP Medical Writer

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Printable Version Email This Article
(02-27) 13:42 PST Chicago (AP) --


One in four U.S. women ages 14 to 59 is infected with the sexually transmitted virus that in some forms can cause cervical cancer, according to the first broad national estimate.


The figure is mostly in line with previous assessments. The highest prevalence — nearly 45 percent — was found in young women within the age range recommended for a new virus-fighting vaccine, according to a report from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.


Researchers have estimated that 20 million Americans have some form of HPV. The study concluded that 26.8 percent of U.S. women are infected, a figure that is comparable to earlier estimates using smaller groups.


"We expected the prevalence of any HPV infection would be high and that's what we found," said CDC researcher Dr. Eileen Dunne, the study's lead author.


Just 3.4 percent of the women studied had infections with one of the four HPV strains that the new vaccine protects against. But that doesn't mean the vaccine should be written off, said Dr. Yvonne Collins, an assistant professor of gynecologic cancer at the University of Illinois at Chicago.


For one thing, Collins said, that relatively small percentage corresponds with a lot of women — about 3 million, according to the report. And it does not include those with past infections that have cleared up.


The number of women with HPV strains targeted by the vaccine was lower than in some previous, less comprehensive estimates. And the overall HPV prevalence among the youngest women studied, 14- to-24-year-olds, was substantially higher than in previous estimates, 7.5 million versus 4.6 million.


Dunne attributed those variations to different study populations and different HPV detection methods. She said the results should not be interpreted to mean infection prevalence has changed in recent years.


The new nationally representative report is based on vaginal swab specimens from 1,921 women tested in 2003-04.


The report appears in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association.


There are dozens of strains of HPV. Low-risk forms can cause genital warts and non-cancerous changes in cells in the cervix, and often clear without treatment. Several high-risk forms have been linked with cervical cancer.


Dunne said HPV prevalence is thought to be high in men as well, but none were studied.


An estimated 11,150 U.S. women will be diagnosed this year with cervical cancer, and about 3,670 will die from it. Numbers are much higher worldwide, especially in developing countries where Pap tests to detect cervical cancer are not routine.


The new vaccine, Merck's Gardasil, was approved last June for girls and women aged 9 to 26. It protects against two HPV strains believed responsible for about 70 percent of cervical cancer cases, and two other strains that cause 90 percent of genital wart cases.


Other vaccines are in the works to protect against other HPV strains, Collins said.


Women aged 20 to 24 had the highest overall HPV prevalence in the study, 44.8 percent. Prevalence increased each year from ages 14 to 24, then dropped off gradually, confirming that young, sexually active women face the greatest risk of infection.


The study underscores the need for young women to get vaccinated, and to get routine Pap tests, said Dr. Howard Jones, a gynecologic cancer specialist at Vanderbilt University.

[monet2u]

oooo now looky what's happening...second thoughts it would seem. (headline below, link with it). This is CA not TX btw.

Cervical cancer vaccine bill stalls
Measure pulled for revision after both sides voice concern over mandatory shots for girls

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f ... OKU591.DTL

[Dalya]

According to the American Cancer Society, "Almost all (>99 percent) cervical cancers are related to HPV."

that's strange because that's not what a cancer specialist said on NPR right after the vaccine was introduced. i'll have to read more about this.

[mere1975]

Here's a question I should research more, I guess.

I think we can all agree that HPV can be bad. And that it can lead to cervical cancer.

Are there ways to prevent its spread, besides vaccinating against it? Condoms? Anything else?

- Mere "heaven forbid we talk frankly about safe sex in schools and at home in Texas" 1975

[Dalya]

i think it can spread w/ condoms because it is passed really easily by skin to skin contact (with a wart) and condom obviously doesnt cover all the business. (at least i'm 95% sure NPR said that).

p.s. by making this vaccine mandatory they are admitting that people actually have sex. shouldnt perry therefore be impeached? and if theyre gonna go ahead and admit that teenagers have sex they should supply students with free birth control (the pill and condoms). or at least extremely cheap.

hey, wanna know whats worse than genital warts at 13? BEING PREGNANT AT 13!!!

[Tracy]

According to the American Cancer Society, "Almost all (>99 percent) cervical cancers are related to HPV."

that's strange because that's not what a cancer specialist said on NPR right after the vaccine was introduced. i'll have to read more about this.

Talk of the Nation - March 16, 2007

This is an interesting discussion. (The beginning of the audio is kind of wobbly.)

Guest Dr. James Colgrove says that there are about 100 strains of HPV and most are not high-risk strains and do not go on to cause cancer. Only about 20 strains lead to harmful consequences. Gardasil protects against 2 strains that cause about 70% of cervical cancer. He says that "basically 100% of cervical cancer is caused by HPV."

American Academy of Family Physicians' statement says:

"The AAFP feels it is premature to consider school entry mandates for human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) vaccine until such time as the long term safety with widespread use, stability of supply, and economic issues have been clarified."

Risk is reduced by yearly cervical exam and pap test - 14,000 get cervical cancer (4,000 die) each year and almost all of those did not get yearly exam.

Vaccine is currently not licensed for use in boys and is approved for use in girls aged 9-26.

The virus is present in 80% of sexually active women.

One caller said she had her girls vaccinated and that the shot is painful and perhaps smaller kids shouldn't get it.

[Dalya]

booster shots hurt too, and i think you get those when you're like 7 or 8. i remember crying.

does anyone know if theyre researching the vaccine's effect on boys or are they just disregarding that option?

as for women not getting their annual -- i dont understand this. why dont insurance companies just demand an annual gyno visit or women will lose their coverage? its takes 30 minutes (only 5 if you discount waiting room time) and can save your life. it would save the insurance companies millions of dollars in cancer treatment, i'm sure.

from everything i've read and heard:
*most women get HPV, but healthy girls can almost always fight it off without medicine
*Girls with unhealthy immune systems who are unaware they have the virus are the *prime* candidate for developing cervical cancer
*if a girl gets HPV but is treated for it (by catching it at her annual) she is not at a greater risk for getting it later - at least there is no documented risk increase

the shot seems sort of unnecessary unless you have immune problems or refuse to see a gynocologist (which is idiotic).

EVERYONE GO GET YOUR VAGINA CHECKED.

[monet2u]

isn't true the birth control pill was invented for men to take and the lazy bastards wouldn't so they gave them to women?

[Irock]

Lots and lots (and lots) of people don't have health insurance and can't afford it.
Some people have it but don't use it, but that has got to be in the minority. If you have health insurance and are on any kind of perscription for anything, they DO force you to get an annual, which includes a Well Woman exam. It doesn't even require a gynocologist.

And btw, I don't know what Dr do you go to, but it takes me a lot more time that 30 minutes.

[monet2u]

I get these lovely reminder cards in the mail from my gyno and ignore them for as long as I can. Cuz regardless of how good it is to go to get a checkup... it sucks. And men don't throw the prostate exam up for an example, cuz you don't even start getting that until you're old.

oh yes, I'm bitter.

[Sybil]

as for women not getting their annual -- i dont understand this.

In a word - money. There are millions of women who lack health insurance and/or funds to pay for healthcare. Sure, they can go to Planned Parenthood or the free clinic for a screening. And what happens if the Pap comes back "abnormal"? Even so-called minor procedures are prohibitively expensive if you can't pay for it.

I know those among us who have never been poor really don't get this, but it's a reality for lots of women, and these are the ones who would benefit most from this vaccine. Ah, but there's that financial burden again - this shot isn't cheap.

So Governor Goodhair, for once, does something to help poor women in the state of Texas. By making this a mandatory vaccine for school children, the health department must make it available at low or no cost. But noooooo- the almighty Legislature can't have that! Thank goodness those clowns only convene every two years - I shudder to think what they would do if they met every year.

Where this vaccine will really be a revolutionary health benefit is in the developing countries where women have little or no access to the most basic of health care. In many third world countries cervical cancer is a leading cancer killer of women. In the U.S. and other more economically advanced countries, it's way down the list, thanks almost entirely to the Pap test. I only hope the religious fanatics around the world don't hold women's lives ransom to their twisted idealogies, and I'm talking about all of them, Christian, Muslim, whatever.

Oh, and BTW, my gynecologic oncologist (cancer doctor for the naughty lady bits) was highly enthusiastic when I asked about this vaccine for my teenager. That man saved my life, so his recommenation carries a lot of weight with me.

Sybil

[Dalya]

And btw, I don't know what Dr do you go to, but it takes me a lot more time that 30 minutes.

Dr. Brady at Presbitarian. It only takes longer if she happens to be delivering a baby. You mean your actual EXAM takes longer or you wait longer? If the exam takes longer, there is a chance you are being molested.

[Dalya]

true about the money aspect. i wrote my response as a break from studying for the 3 exams i just had in 2 days, so my mind wasn't in tip-top shape and didn't think of the most obvious reason. i've heard several stories (friends of friends) who got cervical cancer because they had been too lazy to go to their annual, so i was thinking of those people. i know if you're on the pill you have to have an annual to renu your prescription, but i dont know of insurance companies requiring you to go for any other reason.

the more insurance companies/the states would invest in preventative healthcare, the better off we'd all be. bring back PE, use your propeganda machine to make going to the gyno seem super-fun (come on, they made WWII fun, a gyno is nothing), etc etc. You can just hear the catchy jingle...

[Irock]

i know if you're on the pill you have to have an annual to renu your prescription, but i dont know of insurance companies requiring you to go for any other reason.

No (responsible) Dr will allow refills on any type of medication indefinately. For instancce, I'm on thyroid medication. My Dr checks my blood every year to make sure the dosage is right - she wouldn't do that without giving me a general physical, whic includes a pap. Should be the same with any ongoing prescription.
Having said that, there are ppl who aren't on perscriptions, and if they don't schedule an annual I think we should send around gangs of Drs to people houses to give them exams. I betcha they'd never miss another anual.