You've seen the ads: "You could become one less life affected by cervical cancer." Although my inner grammarophile may cringe at the language (It's "one fewer," people!), the drug company Merck has done a brilliant job marketing its HPV vaccine, Gardasil. Recommended for girls and women ages nine to 26, Gardasil protects against the four most common types of human papillomavirus, an incredibly common pathogen responsible for causing cervical cancer and genital warts. It's been more than a year since the vaccine was approved, but there are still many myths and misunderstandings circulating about the vaccine. Here are a few I've run into recently while working in Student Gynecology:
1. "Nice girls don't get HPV." False! It's estimated that as many as 80 percent of undergraduate woman have come into contact with HPV. Though you can't contract the virus from merely thinking about bumping uglies, pretty much any other kind of sexual activity is sufficient for transmission. HPV can disregard even the most well-intentioned virginity pledge: It lives in skin cells, so simple genital contact is enough to pass on HPV, regardless of whether intercourse occurs. Because condoms only cover the business end of the male genitals, even protected sex leaves plenty of bare skin available for HPV transmission.
2. "I've already had an abnormal Pap and tons of partners, so it's pointless for me to get the vaccine!" Though you may well have come into contact with a number of types of HPV, chances are decent that you haven't encountered all four types covered by the vaccine. Although present data doesn't suggest Gardasil helps clear pre-existing infections, previous exposure does not preclude you from protection against the strains you haven't seen. Give yourself the benefit of the doubt and get vaccinated! Don't wait for another abnormal Pap smear to wonder whether you've done everything you could to protect your health.
3. "My boyfriend and I are monogamous and are planning to get married, so I don't need to worry about HPV." I love an optimist, but I hate cancer more. Consider Gardasil as something of a prenuptial agreement, except instead of sorting out who gets the good china, you're signing on for custody of your cervix. There's still a lot of stigma surrounding Gardasil because it's thought of as an "STD vaccine," so many women think it doesn't apply to them. Nobody balks, however, about getting vaccinated against Hepatitis B, another sexually-transmitted virus that can cause cancer. Choosing to gain protection against a potentially fatal form of cancer isn't a moral judgment on your relationship or your lifestyle -- it's just good sense!
4. "Isn't it sexist that we don't give the vaccine to men?" At this point, the decision not to give Gardasil to men is more science than sexism: This vaccine hasn't been tested in men, so we don't yet have solid proof that it's effective and safe in the male population. In the future, however, the vaccine may well be approved for use in men. Vaccinating men would not only decrease the pool of potential sources of infection for women but also protect men themselves. Just like ladies, guys are susceptible to genital warts caused by the virus. Their conspicuous lack of a cervix helps decrease their risk of HPV-related cancers, but men aren't totally out of the woods in this department either: Uncircumcised males with poor hygiene will occasionally end up with penile cancer as a result of infection, and men on the receptive end of anal intercourse are vulnerable to HPV-related anal cancer (so, incidentally, are women who have anal sex).
5. "I've had Gardasil, so it's cool for me to engage in wild, unprotected orgies!" OK, so I have never, ever met a patient who believed this, but I thought I'd include this myth because the vaccine's opponents like to argue that this is the inevitable reaction to vaccination. Gardasil protects against the four most prevalent types of HPV, but there are dozens more out there (not to mention a host of other sexually transmitted bugs), so practicing smart, safe sex and getting regular Pap smears is still a must.
If you're wondering how you can get the vaccine, the first step is to check with your insurance company to ensure that it will pay for the vaccine. Most policies will reimburse you in full for all three shots, which go for more than $140 a pop if you're paying out-of-pocket. Next check to see if the company will cover it at Student Health, as some plans will only compensate you for the vaccine if it's given by specific providers. Student Health has walk-in clinics scheduled throughout the fall, so get in touch to find a time to come in for your first shot. In case cancer protection isn't incentive enough, rumor is you may even get a lollipop.
Anne Mills is a Cavalier Daily Health & Sexuality Columnist. She can be reached at mills@cavalierdaily.com or through the Sex & Balances submission page at cavalierdaily.com/sex.asp. This column should be used for educational purposes only and is not meant to substitute advice from your doctor.
Read More
U.Va. students and physicians team up for another year of free kidney screenings
By Merrill Hart | November 5, 2024Saturday’s screening marked the first by KDSAP at Portico Church, near IX Art Park.
U.Va. Health sees a spike in COVID-19 cases
By Emily Horn | September 4, 2023U.Va. Health ended their vaccination requirements in August, and masks were made optional in most hospital areas in early April.
U.Va. Cancer Center harnesses $12 million grant to support opportunities for undergraduates, ongoing research and new center
By Ellen Wu | January 12, 2023The grant provides an opportunity to establish the Center for Systems Analysis of Stress-Adapted Cancer Organelles, which seeks to find the cause of cancer in individual organelles.
