The HPV vaccine controversy
Subtitle: sex, cancer, god and politics : a guide for parents, women, men and teenagers
By: Shobha S. Krishnan.
Publisher: Praeger
Published: 2008
Place of publication: Westport, Conn
Language: eng
Number of pages: 230
ISBN-13: 9780313350115
Subjects: Papillomavirus vaccines -- Popular works
Genres: Popular works.
Description: Description: 
The Human Papilloma Virus, so-called HPV, is one of the most widespread sexually transmitted diseases in America, with more than 20 million infected now and more than 6 million new cases detected each year. It is estimated that at least 50 percent of all sexually active people will be infected during their lifetimes. And while the silent disease may cause no symptoms in most cases, two strains of HPV cause some 70 percent of all cervical cancer, which strikes more than 10,000 women in the United States alone each year. So it is with great fanfare than an HPV vaccine, tested around the world and approved by the US government in 2006, is being marketed. But controversy surrounds the vaccine, which is being recommended for girls as young as 9 and may be mandated by state governments. In this timely book, Shobha Krishnan, M.D., of Barnard College, Columbia University - a longtime gynecologist and family physician, and mother of a young daughter - explains in layterms both the disease and vaccine to parents, youths, men and women. She also addresses the controversy, legislative aims to require the vaccine, and another vaccine to hit the market this year. Krishnan also raises the issue of whether boys should get the vaccine. Coverage across the book is comprehensive and addresses both the pros and cons of anyone being innoculated.




Title Features:
Parents, teenagers, and young adults considering the HPV vaccine will find all of the answers to their questions in this book, which also features a chapter listing all of the questions asked, and answers given, when Krishnan ran an informational clinic for college students curious about the disease and the vaccine. The book also addresses the need for vaccine booster shots, what is known about side effects, and whether or not it can protect boys from contracting or transmitting the virus, or getting genital warts. In addition, a final chapter highlights some of the personal stories and anecdotes of cervical cancer from women in developing countries, and the role the vaccines could play in those countries.
 
Table of Contents: 
Acknowledgements
Author's Note
1.The HPV Vaccine Controversy: Science versus Faith
2. HPV Transmission and Natural History: A Silent Epidemic
3. Risk Factors and Testing: Knowledge is Power
4. Cancers, Warts and HPV: From Head and Neck Lesions to Cervical, Penile, and Anal Diseases
5. Emotional Aspects and Prevention of HPV: Shame, and Blame, and Absence of Cure
6. The New HPV Vaccines: History, Recommendations and Limitations
7. HPV Vaccines for Males: The Unsolved Half of the Equation
8. FAQ's on HPV and the Vaccines: Excerpts from a University Town Hall Meeting
9. Parent's Dilemma to Vaccinate: A Physician Mother's Perspective
10. Vaccines on the Global Front: Unique Challenges and Opportunities
Internet Resources
References 
About the Author: 
Shobha S. Krishnan, MD is Staff Physician at Columbia University's Barnard College Health Services. A board certified gynecologist and family practice physician, she has also worked as a surveillance physician for the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prior to joining Barnard, she was in private practice for 10 years. In addition, Dr. Krishnan has worked as a physician at the Institute on Aging, and as Chief Resident in the Family Practice Department at St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis.
Notes: Reviews: 
This book is packed full of information. It should be a tool for parents and for health classes in high school, as to teach all teenagers the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases / infections and to also encourage both parents and teenagers to be open and honest in regards to their sexual activity. This book contains so much needed information, from the cause to the treatment, and also the vaccine itself. If I had a teenager, or a child in puberty I would definitely use this book as a learning tool. As a nurse, of course I find any writing related to Health care very beneficial, but that said, shouldn't all parents be informing their children not only the importance of abstinence but also some of the consequences that accompany their sexual urges? This book also delves into the vaccine aspects for both males and females. This book contains much needed information and also gives references and Internet resources. This book is easy for the layman to understand, and also contains a glossary. 
—qualitybookreviews.wordpress.com September 11, 2008 
Recommended for academic/medical libraries and comprehensive collections at public libraries....Gynecologist Krishnan (Barnard Coll. Heath Svcs., Columbia Univ.) provides admirable and balanced coverage of the controversy and science involved. She discusses her own decision to have her daughter vaccinated and whether or not she believes it promotes promiscuity. 
—Library Journal Xpress online reviews September 9, 2008 
"A great book for anyone dealing with sexuality issues, as well as for the occasional lay reader who wants to know more detailed information about HPV and its vaccine. There is far too much information in this book for me to cover it all, but many college health providers will find the chapter on issues surrounding HPV infections in men to be unique and quite helpful. Many college health practitioners may not know the following: women actually get more anal cancer from HPV infections than men; an anal Pap test is available; visual inspection of the cervix with acetic acid techniques are being used in the developing world as a cost-effective alternative to Pap tests; the teenage cervix is the most vulnerable to HPV infections and other sexually transmitted diseases." 
—Journal of American College Health 3/1/2009 
...Krisham offers a well-written, easy- to- understand book that does a super job of providing timely, relevant information regarding human papilloma virus (HPV). Chapters treat transmission, effects on the human body, prevention, and how the virus causes cancer. The author both a gynecologist and family practice physician, does an outstanding job of explaining the controversy surrounding the vaccine, and has brought to light a rarely discussed issue: why males/boys are not mentioned in the vaccination plans, when according to the date cited HPV causes almost as many cancers in men as in women… this volume will be a very valuable acquisition for public, two- year community college, four year university/ college, and consumer health libraries. 
—CHOICE 3/1/2009 

"Shobha Krishnan's The HPV Vaccine Controversy is a welcome and much-needed book authored at a critical time... Krishnan's book does a masterful job of organizing the complex and expansive HPV literature into well-organized chapters... a superb book for any person who wants to be introduced to this fascinating field as well as for the more experienced clinician or health educator who wants to get a fresh and renewed perspective... This is a much-needed reference source for parents who want more information and explanations before making the decision as to whether to give the vaccination to their children, as well as for concerned parents who have pressing questions and want full and detailed answers... This book is a terrific contribution, and individuals involved in the HPV field should be grateful for its publication." 
—JAMA 6/17/2009 


The book is impressive in the vast area covered, the questions answered, and the controversies raised. The author provides an unbiased view and is honest about what we don't know. The key facts at the end of each chapter help identify the take-home points, and the glossary and figures help emphasize pertinent information….This is good addition to the books explaining HPV. It attempts to provide a complete source of information without directing patients and parents to multiple sources and sites. It covers just about everything patients and parents want to know about HPV. 

 -Doody Reviews: 07/03/2009