Discussion/Recommendations for Further Study

So now it's your turn.
"Now that you know the facts, don't let a common virus impacts your future- or the future of your best friend, cousin, or sister. Make an impact now. Tell her certain types of HPV cause cervical cancer and other types cause genital warts.''
Copyright @ 2006 Merck & Inc
Further research is needed to understand how HPV affects the male population, since they do not currently have tests to detect HPV in men. Outside of self-examinations, looking for warts, men are defenseless. Most types of HPV are benign, which means they do not cause cancer, but some types have been linked to cancer. Types of cancer linked to HPV include cancer of the anus, penis, vulva, and cervix. A major percentage of women with cervical cancer also have HPV.

Coming to the conclusion that many people have HPV and do not realize it or even know what it is, especially men. Since men cannot be tested, many continue to spread the disease. There is a possibility that women can contract the virus easier than men, based on physical make up, if it is primarily transmitted through sexual fluids. Most of the literature claims the virus is transmitted through skin to skin contact, rather than through sexual fluids. One can be confused as to why doctors do not explain all the contradictions around HPV to their patients. Since there are so many contradictions, is it the case that they really do not know and just do not want to say so? It seems as if all that is really known is that HPV has become wide spread, it can cause cancer, and sometimes results in genital warts once or twice in a persons life. The warts can be removed or go away, and the cancer can often be caught in women as long as they obtain regular checkups.

Further research will be required, in long term studies to determine the long term efficacy of the vaccination as well as the length of protection it offers, to determine the need for boosters. Cost will likely be a significant barrier to the wide spread implementation of the immunization mandates and there is a disproportionate representation of need for immunization in economically stable areas, where routine screening for cervical cancer is already prevalent, making it most important to reach disenfranchised groups both in the US and worldwide, but especially racial minorities. (Saslow , 2007) Future research will likely be the best possible answer to the questions, on an ethical, biological level and there is a fruitful opportunity here for research and potential social and systems benefitsMany parents do not understand how or what to explain about sexual issues. Without education in classes, on TV, or in newspapers and magazines, many physicians are only able to educate once a person comes in for treatment or checkups. believing Americans need to adopt similar tactics to European sex education. We should not assume kids figure these things out on their own. If we treat people with the attitude that they can understand the message, then they will .