Learn about the advantages and risks of the HPV, or Human papillomavirus, vaccine that is available on the market. Martin Fisher, MD Adolescent Medicine DrMDK.com

Video Transcription

Male1: There is a new vaccine now called Gardosil, it is something about a cancer preventing vaccine. First, do you recommend it and can you tell me a little bit about the vaccine. Male2: Gardosil is a vaccine that just came out within the past few months and it is for the virus and that is called human papilloma virus. It turns out that 99.9% or more of cases of cervical cancer are due to human papilloma virus and it also turns out that if you check teenagers or young adults who are sexually active, somewhere above 30% at any time will actually have a type of human papilloma virus. There are many human papilloma viruses that most of the cases of cervical cancer are due to types 16 and 18. The human papilloma virus can also cause what is called cervical warts or vaginal warts and those are due to type 6 and 11. So the new vaccine Gardosil, is a vaccine that prevents people from getting human papilloma virus types 6, 11, 16 and 18. Therefore, those who get it and it is a three dose series, those who get it should be not at risk for cervical cancer, except the rare cases due to other types of human papilloma virus and also not be able to get in the future and not be able to get any kind of vaginal or cervical warts. Male1: But to give the vaccine, we have to make sure they are not sexually active first, is that true? Male2: No, definitely not true. The vaccine at this point in time is recommended for ages 9 to 26. It could be given to those who are sexually active and it could be given to those who are not yet sexually active. As a matter of fact, it could be given to somebody who already has one of the human papilloma virus types. So let us say a person has actually had human papilloma virus type 16, they could still receive that vaccine to prevent them from getting types 6, 11, and 18. The studies that have been done showed that there is no negative effect of receiving human papilloma virus if a person has had previous types of human papilloma virus and in fact, you are still preventing the other kinds. So at this point in time, they are focusing on the pediatricians in terms of learning about this new virus, the company that put it out which is Merck is focusing on the pediatricians for the younger adolescents, most of whom are not yet sexually active and are actually focusing on the gynecologist for the older adolescent and young adults, many of whom or most of whom have been sexually active. The idea is that if everybody ultimately had medicine that is only for females, they are not giving it to males, it is not at all approved for males, but if all the females of the age group of nine to 26 get the human papilloma virus vaccine or Gardosil, then we have the potential to wipe out cervical cancer in the next few years.