one less?
hpv vaccine may cause more harm than good
by melissas schaaf
It may have saved her life. Laura Neal has never considered herself
an at-risk individual when it comes to cancer, and maybe now
she’ll never need to. Armed with
a cervical cancer vaccine, she is
one of many females who are
battling against becoming one more
statistic.
Encouraged by her nurse, the
20-year-old junior health and exercise
science major received Gardasil, a vaccine
designed for women as a prevention
against the human papillomavirus. If
contracted, HPV could potentially lead
to cervical cancer. The vaccine was approved
by the Food and Drug Administration
in 2006 and made available to
women nationwide. According to Merck
& Co., the producers of Gardasil, almost
16 million females in the United States,
have received at least one of the three
required shots for Gardasil, including
Neal. Yet, as Gardasil is a newer vaccine,
the unknown side effects may cause
more harm than good.
Since its approval, there have
been over 9,000 reports submitted to
the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting
System concerning associated side effects,
approximately 6 percent of which
express serious cases, including paralysis,
Guillain-Barre Syndrome, chronic pain,
neurological disorders and even death.
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Web site, GBS is a rare disorder in which the body’s immune system
attacks part of the peripheral nervous system, causing weakness in the
muscles, potentially leading to paralysis.
Despite the considerable amount of adverse effects reported, for Neal
the vaccine caused nothing more than some discomfort in her right arm
where she received the injection.
“The shot hurt like a b****,” she said. “My arm was very sore for the
next couple days and it really hurt to move or raise it.”
Neal noted that her nurse gave a consultation beforehand, stating that
other women had complained about pain from receiving the shot as well.
She received her second shot in January
2008, but said that it was not as painful
as the first.
Even with the number of adverse
side effect accounts, there have only
been two or three reports of individuals
fainting after receiving the vaccine at
Hartshorn Health Services, according
to immunization coordinator
Lisa Duggan. Further, the number of
Gardasil shots administered at Hartshorn
has nearly doubled in the past
two school years: 706 vaccinations were
given to 443 individuals in 2007 to
2008, increased from 418 vaccinations
distributed to 238 individuals in 2006
to 2007.
“I’m impressed with how many
people have decided to get the vaccine,”
Duggan said. “We’ve had very limited
problems with it; only a handful of
women have complained of a sore arm
(after receiving it). But I have heard that
it hurts more than other shots.”
Gardasil has been advertised on
television with a campaign that challenges
women to be “One Less” statistic
for cervical cancer. It is also promoted
among several medical organizations,
such as the Center for Disease Control
and Prevention. Although the vaccine is highly recommended, it is not
required, allowing individuals a personal decision as to whether or not
they receive it.
“I actually heard about (the vaccine) from one of my friends and did
a speech about HPV for one of my classes,” Neal said. “I figured that it
would be a good decision to get it.”
Even though the vaccine is deemed safe and effective by both the
CDC and the FDA, some individuals still have reservations about receiving
the shot because of its infancy, as well as the unknown, long-term side effects. Neal’s roommate, 21-year-old Kirsten Stople, also a junior health
and exercise science major, is one of those apprehensive individuals.
“(The vaccine) is so new. I almost feel like we’re lab rats,” Stople said.
“I know they say it’s safe and effective, but you can never know for sure.”
According to a handout for the HPV vaccine, the most reported
side-effects include pain, mild to moderate fever, and redness, swelling and
itching at the injection site. Another common effect is syncope, or fainting.
According to Duggan, this is caused by a vaso-vagal reaction. In this
reaction, the nervous reflexes that control heart rate and blood pressure
behave abnormally causing a drop in blood pressure and a fainting spell,
according to the Columbia University Medical Center Web site.
“This reaction is much more common in teens when they receive a
shot, especially in women,” Duggan said. “So, when you have a vaccine
aimed at teenage women, there are going to be higher rates of fainting.”
Personal testimonials of more serious disorders are reported to start
surfacing five to 14 days after receiving
a shot, whether it be the first, second
or third. According to VAERS, the
rare conditions reported after receiving
Gardasil cannot be directly related to
the vaccine. Many other factors could
have caused them to surface. For some,
though, it is enough that the conditions
are possible at all to deter them from
getting the vaccine.
“It kind of freaks me out,” Stople
said. “With any vaccination there are
possible risks. This one might prevent cervical cancer, but I don’t know if
it’s going to affect other parts of my body.”
Another reason individuals may not be getting the vaccine is due
to cost. Gardasil is a series of three shots: the second dose is given two
months after dose one, and the third dose is given six months after dose
two. Walgreen’s offers the vaccine for $176.99 per dose, costing $530.97
for the set of three. Hartshorn, however, distributes it for $140 per which comes to $420 for the trio. According to Duggan, Gardasil is
frequently covered by health insurance and individuals are encouraged to
check with their provider before they get it.
“Most services (at Hartshorn) are fee-based,” she said. “So when
something isn’t covered, we try to provide it at a very reasonable price for
students.”
Despite an increase in individuals receiving the vaccine on campus
since its licensing, Duggan predicts that the number of vaccinations
distributed will slow down, or even decrease in the future.
“I think we could be busy again this year and possibly next, but the
CDC is really pushing that HPV vaccinations should be considered at a
younger age and discussed by health care providers at appointments with
12 to 15-year-old girls,” she said. “As this becomes the norm, I think that
we will see more and more women who have already had the vaccine
before they come to college, and our numbers will start to drop off in the
future.”
As Neal waits to get her final
vaccination of the trio, she continues
to advocate for it and support what
Gardasil is created to do.
“I’d definitely say that it’s a good
idea to get the shot because it’s an
effective prevention method,” she
said. “I’d say that the pros definitely
outweigh the risks.”
Kira Kalush, sophomore international
studies major, agrees.
“I would definitely suggest for other women to get the shots,” she
said. “The whole idea of getting cervical cancer is more frightening than
the unknown side effects. If there’s a way to avoid it, I’m going to try to.”
Stople, however, is content to wait to make sure that Gardasil proves
to be 100 percent safe.
“Part of me questions if I really need it right now,” she said. “I’d
rather wait it out a little longer just to be safe. I’m not in a hurry.”