Speaker debunks HPV vaccine myths

By Hayley Morrison/reporter

Many parents believe the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is not safe for their children, but a speaker told a NE audience that is a myth.

University of North Texas Health Center research associate Marcy Paul presented The Five Top Myths about HPV March 7.

“Thirty-five million doses of the HPV vaccine have been administered in the U.S., and only 19,000 side effects, 6 percent, have occurred,” she said. “The most common side effects are dizziness, irritation, headaches and pain or swelling at the injection site.”

Other myths include the ideas that people who are not sexually active do not need the vaccination and that boys do not need to worry about getting vaccinated, Paul said.

“The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all boys and all girls get the vaccine, and the ages are from 9 to 24,” she said.

Many people also think HPV only causes genital warts and anyone who has had HPV once cannot get it again, Paul said.

“There are over 100 strains of HPV, and vaccinating protects you from any strain you have not been exposed to,” she said. “So there’s a lot of hope in the vaccination.”

Paul said one suggestion for helping more students receive the vaccination is having a mobile vaccination clinic set up several times throughout the year on campus, an idea student Margaret Graf supports.

“I hope we end up getting the mobile vaccination center,” Graf said. “It would be so easy to remember to get vaccinated if I could get it on campus.”

Student Brittany Detwiller said Paul’s presentation was valuable.

“I kind of knew about HPV before coming, but the information was really helpful,” she said. “I feel like I know a lot more now.”