In the News: HPV Vaccine

The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine was in the news this week after U.S. Rep.  Michele Bachmann (R.-Minn.) made some statements about possible safety issues on NBC’s Today Show. Bachmann said  that she was told by one mother that her daughter suffered from mental retardation after receiving the vaccine.
To protect against cervical cancer and genital warts, the HPV vaccine is recommended to be routinely given to girls at age 11 or 12, and can be given up to age 26 to those who did not get all doses when they were younger.
Are there safety issues with the vaccine?
Before HPV vaccines Gardasil and Cervarix were approved, the FDA  conducted clinical studies involving thousands of participants to ensure its safety.
Since it was approved, the FDA and CDC continue to monitor its safety. One system for doing so is the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). The agencies analyze adverse events (possible side effects) that are reported. As with all vaccines, the HPV vaccines does have some documented side effects. Pain and redness where the injection is given is the most common, according to the CDC.  One in 10 people will get a mild fever, one in thirty will experience itching in the area the shot is given.  About 1 in 60 people will have a moderate fever. The HPV vaccine has not been linked to mental retardation or other serious neurologic conditions affecting the brain.
A recent report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM)  that examined research on eight vaccines, including HPV, also found that it was safe.

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