Genital Warts Vaccine

Genital warts vaccine is still a new thing in the medical society. However, there are a few vaccines in the market such as Cervarix and Gerdasil. Now, the vaccine is not actually for genital warts itself but towards HPV that causes genital warts and also cervical cancer. The vaccine targets HPV type 16, 18 which cause cervical cancer and HPV type 6 and 11 which cause genital warts. In some places such as Alaska and Virginia, bill has been passed to allow vaccination programme be implemented in low grade and also voluntary.

Genital warts or more accurately, HPV vaccine works based on virus like particles (VLPs) that are hollow which are assembled from HPV proteins. The genital warts vaccine is injected into a person’s body to elicit antibodies which that neutralize initial infection of HPV virus. Genital warts vaccine does not show any side effects that occur to other vaccines such as heart attacks and sudden cardiac arrests. Moreover, the vaccine does not involve any live or dead cells as the VLPs are not capable of reproducing. Researchers expect the vaccine to last about 5 years. However, the cost of the vaccine is quite staggering ($360) and were opposed by insurance companies covering the cost.

The genital warts vaccine mainly target those 20 years of age, although it is recommended for even sixth graders. In some states the recommendation has been proposed where parents can exclude their children from the vaccination. Pre-teen of 10-13 year olds might show more effective result of the vaccine as are sexually inactive and are less likely to be HPV positive.

For females, the risk of contracting the virus is about 70% and for men it’s even higher, which is 80%. That figure can be higher among uncircumcised men as the foreskin is the best ‘habitat’ for the growth of genital warts. However, penile cancer is extremely rare and only accounts for 1% of cancer among men while females have an adverse risk of contracting cervical cancer. That’s why the genital warts vaccine is very important in preventing HPV and other diseases caused by HPV. The vaccine also shows perfect efficacy in preventing the virus.

The creation of the genital warts vaccine however, raises up the question whether youngsters after being injected with such vaccine will have more unprotected sex. It’s like giving condom to youngster so that they can have more sex and more sex partners. Although the vaccine may be virus-proof, it may have its own effects in social deterioration and deficiency of moral values.

No doubt the genital warts vaccine is efficient in preventing the infection of the virus. It is still one’s own personal choice to have the vaccine. One also has to remember that the vaccine is used to prevent the infection of HPV and not as a license to have more unprotected sex.