Girls who received the human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) vaccine didn’t have higher rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) compared with non-vaccinated girls, suggesting the vaccine doesn’t lead to riskier sexual behavior—according to a study by Harvard University and University of Southern California researchers published in JAMA on Monday.
Researchers compared 21,000 vaccinated girls and more than 186,000 non-vaccinated girls in the US between 12-18 years of age for STDs, and found nothing to suggest an increase in sexual activity among the girls who got the vaccine, which is recommended by the CDC to prevent HPV, which can cause cervical cancer.
The Quote: “We have available one of the first-ever medical therapies that could prevent someone from getting cancer, and yet less than 50% are taking up that therapy,” said Anupam Jena, assistant professor at Harvard Medical School.
Washington Post