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HPV Vaccine
August 13, 2009 |
It’s a hot button issue in the news, at dinner tables, and on talk shows across
the country. “There’s a lot of angst about vaccines today,” adds Dr. James Orr,
Medical Director for Oncology Services at Lee Memorial Health System. Especially
the HPV vaccine.
“I think there’s a lot of concern about parental rights. And there are some financial
issues involved as well. There are some barriers,” says Dr. Orr.
From a medical standpoint, he believes the HPV vaccine has huge potential. “We have
the ability; we have the ability to essentially eliminate cervical cancer in this
country. We have that ability. It will be multiple generations before we get there.”
HPV is a sexually transmitted disease. Eightly percent of sexually active women
will be exposed to it in their lifetime. Often times, women don’t even know they
have it until it appears on a pap test. The virus has the potential to cause cervical
cancer and other health problems.
“While the safety of these vaccines remains up for debate, Dr. Orr believes this
is a huge breakthrough. “The opportunity to have a safe vaccine that is so very
effective against a cancer, it’s almost Star Trek like. It’s really wild. Who would
have thought this?!”
Often times, there aren’t any clear warning signs that HPV is present in the body.
That’s why it’s important to have yearly pap tests.
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