Q: I read last week in The Eagle the article about HPV and the Student Health Center. I was just wondering what the big deal is. Should I be getting the vaccine? Isn't a Pap test enough? I understand the point in the article about how not all students should have to cover this vaccine cost. Isn't it super expensive? Just help me understand what the hoopla is over HPV because I definitely don't understand why it's more important than all of the other STDs out there.
A: First of all, I'd like to say thanks for asking such an important question. I'm sure tons of people are wondering what the deal is with HPV and why it affects all of us. If we are looking at numbers, one out of every four girls has HPV, cervical cancer strikes 2,000 women per year and approximately 4,000 women die each year from certain strains of HPV.
The reason this vaccine is so important is because it's the first of its kind to actually reduce the risk of cancer. It protects you from four different strains of HPV, two of which can lead to cervical cancer. The other two strains lead to genital warts. There has not been an actual vaccine helping to prevent cancer until this one, so it is a huge deal.
If you're between the ages of 11 and 26 years old, get the vaccine. I was talking to my gynecologist about this and she says every day - EVERY DAY - someone comes into her office and has HPV. She told my mom to shadow her one day around the office in order to see how many women are affected by cervical cancer and how they wish they could have gotten the vaccine. But why 11 to 26 years old? The vaccine is more effective if you haven't been exposed to the virus, and younger women are less likely to have been exposed.
Actually, doctors most highly recommended the vaccine to girls between the ages of 11 and 13. This is maybe the reason why there is kind of a taboo about the vaccine. A lot of people have a problem talking about sex and thinking that our youth today are sexually active at that age. Some people presume that if you talk about sex, it will make the kids go stir crazy and want to immediately shag.
I think the best way to combat this theory (though I did exaggerate about the immediate shag) is to realize that no matter what we say, or don't say, kids are sexually active. Think about yourself at those ages, if you weren't engaged in some activity - you certainly were thinking about it or at least masturbating.
Definitely keep going to your gynecologist to get your Pap test. The vaccine is not a substitute for this test. I know going to the gynecologist is a big pain (literally), and the clamps are cold, but it needs to happen.
A huge problem with HPV is that usually it doesn't have any symptoms. You could be living your life not knowing if you have HPV.
To all the fellas out there: I hope after reading this article you understand that HPV is a big deal and is very prevalent. Please be courteous to all of your ladies out there and be safe. Plus, if you don't wear a condom and some accident happens ... the aftermath could be quite expensive, and you're a starving college student. Wear condoms!
The Gardasil vaccine costs $125 per dose ($375 for all three). Large insurance plans usually cover the costs of recommended vaccines. This is why it is unfortunate that our Student Health Center, which caters to the large female demographic on campus, does not cover the cost of Gardasil.
If you would like more information about HPV and Gardasil, I found my information at the CDC Web site (www.cdc.gov/std/Hpv/STDFact-HPV-vaccine.htm), the National Cervical Cancer Coalition (http://www.nccc-online.org) and through my gynecologist.
Next week, get ready for more date ideas under $35! Please keep splurging your sex questions my way at Mia.Libido@gmail.com, or drop them in the box outside of The Eagle's office, 252 Mary Graydon Center.
