Health and Economic Impact of Adding Human Papillomavirus Vaccine to Existing Screening Programs - Research Paper Example

Number and Number Potential Health and Economic Impact of adding Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV) to Existing Screening Programs The human papillomavirus (HPV) are “small, double-stranded DNA virus that infects the epithelium” (Atkinson, Wolfe and Hamborsky 139). In general, genital HPV infection is one of the most common sexually transmitted disease which accounts for 50% of men and women contract HPV throughout their lifetime whereas roughly 80% of women are prone to HPV infection by the time they reach the age of 50 (Murthy and Smith 315). Even though the presence of HPV infection alone is not enough to trigger the development of cervical cancer and anogenital cancers (i.e. cancer of the vagina, vulva, penis and anus), Atkinson, Wolfe and Hamborsky (139) explained that women who are infected with HPV 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 68, 69, 73 and 82 are at risk of developing cervical cancer. Among these oncogenic genotypes, HPV 16 and 18 are responsible in almost 70% of cervical cancer around the world (Atkinson, Wolfe and Hamborsky 139; Murthy and Smith 315). Almost all of the HPV infections are asymptomatic. It means that the human body is capable of healing itself without much human intervention. In general, HPV vaccine is ineffective among HPV infected individuals. For this reason, pharmaceutical manufacturers of HPV vaccines are targeting boys and girls between the age of 9 to 26 who has never been infected with HPV (Gardasil). Sold in the market since 2006, the two types of HPV vaccines that prevents at least four types of HPV non-asymptomatic (i.e. HPV 16 and 18 – causes cervical cancer and HPV 6 and 11 – causes 90% of genital wards) are known as Gardasil1 and Cervarix2 (Atkinson, Wolfe and Hamborsky 139; Murthy and Smith 315). Considering the claims that both vaccines are 100% effective in terms of preventing diseases that can be triggered by HPV 6, 11, 16 and 18 (Gardasil; Murthy and Smith 316), this report will purposely identify and explore the potential health and economic impact of adding HPV vaccine in existing screening programs. Potential Health and Economic Impact of adding HPV Vaccine in Existing Screening Programs Today, approximately “19,000 reports of adverse effects were gathered after the delivery of 35 million doses of Gardisil throughout the United States” (Klatell). In fact, there has been quite a lot of news report suggesting that the use of HPV vaccines can trigger 8.2 per 100,000 cases of fainting and 0.2 per 100,000 cases of blood clots right after receiving the vaccine (Smith). Aside from fainting and blood clot, the administration of HPV vaccine can also trigger some adverse neurological and physical effects such as severe allergic reaction on young individuals who received the vaccine, very high fever, and signs of Guillain-Barre syndrome which includes tingling sensation, weakness, and/or paralysis (Monson and Schoenstadt; Smith). With this in mind, signs of severe allergic reaction are not limited to “difficulty of breathing but also wheezing, unusual skin rashes, itching, and/or hives” (Monson and Schoenstadt). On top of the less serious cases, the administration of HPV vaccine can trigger untimely deaths among the young individuals who were given the vaccine. Based on the study of Slade, Leidel and Vellozzi, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) publicly announced 32 cases of deaths following the administration of HPV vaccine (Slade, Leidel and Vellozzi). On the other hand, the Judicial Watch reported at least 47 cases of deaths due to HPV vaccine during the same year (Judicial Watch). In general, the common causes of HPV vaccine-related deaths include: diabetic ketoacidosis, prescription drug abuse, juvenile amyotropic lateral sclerosis, meningoencephalitis, influenza B viral sepsis, pulmonary embolism, cardiac-related deaths, blood clots, arrhythmia, and idiopathic seizure disorder (Slade, Leidel and Vellozzi; Judicial Watch). Hoping to unveil the real and most serious side-effects associated with HPV vaccine, the NVIC website is continuously encouraging the public not only to sign a petition to investigate the health risk associated with Gardisil but also enables friends and family members of individuals who receive HPV vaccine to report cases of Gardasil vaccine reaction in their website (NVIC). In one of the story reports, a 21-year-old college student named Christina Tarsell who was enrolled at Bard College died after receiving a series of three Gardasil shots (NVIC b). Similar to the case of Christina, 14-year-old Cassie also died after receiving the three doses of HPV vaccine (NVIC c). Because of the adverse health effects and sudden deaths among the young people who were given HPV vaccine, it is clear that the potential health and economic impact of adding HPV vaccine in the existing screening programs throughout the United States is still uncertain. Recently, Smith stated that “CDC and FDA reported that the rate of serious events of adverse side effects associated with HPV vaccine with 4.3 per 100,000 doses distributed is higher than 3.0 per 100,000 women incidence rate of cervical cancer throughout the United States” (Smith). Based on 23 million doses distributed, the projected rate of adverse side effects of HPV vaccine could even be higher as compared to the reported 4.3 per 100,000 (ibid). Conclusion Even though vaccines are known to prevent a long list of preventable diseases, the legalization and licensed to sell Gardasil in the United States seems to have more adverse health and socio-economic consequences (i.e. medication costs of curing severe allergic reaction to HPV vaccine and unexplainable deaths) as compared to its expected health and economic benefits. In fact, there has been quite a lot of news report that emphasizes the adverse health and economic consequences associated with the promotion of HPV immunization program (Klatell; Judicial Watch; Smith). Up to the present time, there are very few research studies that can prove the health benefits and safety issues associated with the administration of HPV vaccines. Since there are no single scientific-based evidence that can clearly identify the long-term health and socio-economic benefits and consequences associated with this particular vaccine, there is a strong possibility that the process of adding HPV vaccine to the existing screening programs could only increase the health and socio-economic burden among the American people. *** End *** References Atkinson, William, Charles Wolfe and Jennifer Hamborsky. Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases. 12th Edition. The Public Health Foundation, 2011. "Gardasil." 2011. Who should get vaccinated with Gardasil? 17 September 2011 . "Judicial Watch." 16 June 2009. Vaccine Adverse Effects Report System (VAERS) cumulative deaths report . 17 September 2011 . Klatell, Jamie. "The Hill." 17 September 2011. Bachmann makes health claims about HPV vaccine not 'speaking as a doctor'. 18 September 2011 . Monson, Kristi and Arthur Schoenstadt. "eMedTV." 21 December 2009. HPV Vaccine Side Effects. 18 September 2011 . Murthy, Padmini and Clyde Lanford Smith. Women's global health and human rights. Jones and Barlett Publishers, LLC., 2010. "NVIC." 2011. Gardasil and HPV Infection. 18 September 2011 . "NVIC." 2011b. Gardasil Vaccine & the Damage Done. Christina Tarsell and Emily, her mother . 18 September 2011 . "NVIC." 2011 c. Gardasil Vaccine & the Damage Done. 18 September 2011 . Slade, Barbara A., et al. "Postlicensure Safety Surveillance for Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus Recombinant Vaccine." JAMA (2009): 302(7):750-757. Smith, Michael. "Med Page Today." 18 August 2009. HPV Vaccine Side Effects As Expected. 18 September 2011 . Read More