U.S.

HPV Vaccine For Girls And Young Women

By Sharyl Attkisson

July 1, 2008 / 3:32 PM EDT / CBS News

(AP (file))

The government and many doctors are recommending that girls and young women receive the relatively new human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine (approved in 2006) to prevent cervical cancer and genital warts. The hope is that this will prove to be a lifesaving vaccine for many women. However, the vaccination is not without controversy, including the question of adverse events. Below is a new analysis of records obtained under federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by the conservatively funded Judicial Watch group. The report claims, among other things, that the HPV vaccine can make HPV symptoms worse, contains aluminum, its long term effects on fertility are unknown, and it has not been tested for how it could interact with all the other vaccinations children might be receiving.

New Analysis of Records by Judicial Watch

Merck, which makes the vaccine, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have said it is safe. According to the CDC: "This vaccine has been licensed by the FDA and approved by CDC as safe and effective. It was studied in thousands of females (ages 9 through 26 years) around the world and its safety continues to be monitored by CDC and the FDA. Studies have found no serious side effects. The most common side effect is soreness in the arm (where the shot is given). There have recently been some reports of fainting in teens after they got the vaccine. For this reason, it is recommended that patients wait in their doctor's office for 15 minutes after getting the vaccine." The CDC Web site explains the three-shot series (given over six months at approximately $125 per dose) and answers questions about safety from the government and Merck's point of view, and why they believe it's important for girls and young women to receive the vaccine.