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HPV: Are these the three most important letters in the medical alphabet?

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HPV: Are these the three most important letters in the medical alphabet?

For years now, young women have heard about a vaccine that protects against HPV, a virus that causes cervical cancer. The uptake of Gardasil and Cervarix (the two vaccines that protect against the human papilloma or HPV virus that causes cervical cancer and that are available in Canada) has not been as successful as hoped.

Young women know about the cancer, but many are not proactive about getting the vaccine or talking to their doctors about it. And as the vaccine is best given to girls before they become sexually active, parents have a role to play in talking to their daughters and their family doctors about it.

Recently published research from the University of Toronto now suggests that improving vaccination rates against HPV in boys is key to protecting both men and women. http://sti.bmj.com/content/early/2013/07/03/sextrans-2012-050980.short?g=w_sti_ahead_tab

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection, says Professor Peter A. Newman, Canada Research Chair in Health and Social Justice. “The idea of an HPV vaccine for boys is new in Canada and so far has had a low adoption rate,” says Newman.” So we need physicians, social workers and public health care institutions to be more active conveying the benefits of the vaccine for boys and the positive role it can help play keeping Canadians safe and healthy.”

It’s a touchy subject: HPV is about sex and never before have three little letters caused so much noise. Is it parents who are supposed to encourage their children to have the vaccine. If so, they need to be open about sex with their kids — and not all parents are and not all kids want to hear it.

If it’s family doctors who have the responsibility of informing parents and young patients, then good luck. HPV is a difficult and complex subject so a lot of family physicians haven’t the time. This would be agreat job for a practice nurse, but few practices have nurse supports.

THis week, U.S. head and neck surgeons are in the news about HPV. Stats…… etc.

This week there’s more bad news about HPV.

Science Daily reports that this same cervical-cancer causing virus triples the risk of people developing esophageal cancer . In fact, many cancer experts say there’s evidence to suggest that oral cancers, on the rise and significantly HPV linked, will surpass cervical cancer in the next decade.

The post HPV: Are these the three most important letters in the medical alphabet? appeared first on MarilynLinton.


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