Janine Rankin writes in the Manawatu Standard about the gardasil vaccine, which health experts are urging young women to use to protect themselves from infection by the HPV virus.
The virus is known to cause cervical cancer in some women, and some experts are hailing the vaccine as a ‘major breakthrough’, although it has become a controversial topic.
An excerpt: (read in full here)
“Dr Clark, the MidCentral Health medical director and past president of the Royal Australia and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, is convinced that in conjunction with a screening programme, vaccination has the potential to dramatically reduce the suffering caused by gynaecological cancers.
“But he is “perturbed and distressed” about the amount of misinformation circulating in the community and the media about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine and other aspects of the programme.
…
“Dr Clark says the vaccine is safe, despite the “misinformation” circulating and causing unnecessary concern.
“He believes that the real agenda of some of those raising safety concerns arises from other reasons – that they believe the vaccine could promote promiscuity.