Customer Reviews

The HPV Vaccine Controversy: Sex, Cancer, God, and Politics: A Guide for Parents, Women, Men, and Teenagers

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If you care about your health, you must read this book. The HPV Vaccine Controversy: Sex, Cancer, God, and Politics. Shobha S. Krishnan, M.D. gives you practical, jargon-free information about one of the most widely spread sexually transmitted diseases--Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Krishnan reported that "Over 50 percent of sexually active men and women will acquire genital HPV infection at some point in their lives."

If that doesn't wake you up, try these facts: You can carry HPV and never show any symptoms; HPV could cause embarrassing warts on hand, feet, and/or the area around your anus and genitals; and HPV "could lead to precancerous and cancerous lesions of the cervix, vulva, vagina, urethra, anus, penis, mouth, and throat." About 250,000 women die each year from cervical cancer. 99 percent of these cases originated with the HPV virus.

But rather than frighten the reader with facts and statistics, Krishnan uses a conversational tone that provides information to make decisions about having an annual gynecological exam, gives parents assistance in deciding whether or not to have their daughters immunized, and leaves the reader feeling confidently informed of the nature of this virus and how she can protect herself from its effects.

Krishnan includes charts, diagrams, and graphs to help the reader understand the points she makes. For example, in the chart, "Guidelines for the Management of Abnormal Pap Test Results," she defines and explains twelve possible results under the headings "What the report means." She explains the Pap test and how it can identify early stages of HPV and pre-cancer. She also cites research showing that among women who develop cervical cancer, "about 50 percent have never had a Pap test, and another 10 percent have not had a Pap test in the past five years." Because HPV sometimes clears up on its own and cervical cancer grows slowly, an annual Pap test helps doctors observe changes in the cervix and identify when these changes might be reason for concern.

Men also need to read this book. Krishnan shows how in different cultures, men's sexual behavior predicts the incidence of women's cervical cancer better than the women's sexual behavior. To protect women from contracting HPV from men who often have no symptoms, Krishnan wants the reader to make an informed decision about the HPV vaccine. When it is administered to girls between the ages of 9 and 14 who are not yet sexually active, five-year studies show good results. She emphasizes that it will take twenty to thirty years before definitive statements can be made about the vaccine, so those willing to be vaccinated now will be pioneers in this research.

Only 230 pages long, this book includes information on topics including sex, cancer, religious beliefs, politics, the emotional impact of the HPV diagnosis, and a case study of a woman in India whose experience provides a sobering reminder of important it is to take responsibility for ourselves. Krishnan also addresses the lack of testing and vaccinating in poorer countries and includes a glossary, references, notes, and a comprehensive index.

by Susan Andrus
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

I am a parent of two daughters in their early twenties and one teenage son and found this book very useful in helping us determine whether or not to recommend this vaccination to our daughters. This book presented the facts in a clear, thorough, concise, and readable fashion. In fact, it read like a novel! Ms. Krishnan does a terrific job of covering the facts without 'lecturing'. She presents a great deal of information in a relatively short book. Krishnan also presents the information in a way that anyone reading this book will be able to comprehend.

I have recommended this book for our bookclub to read. My husband is a family physician and he has recommended the book to many patients and fellow physicians. This is good information to share.

Thank you Dr. Krishnan for a comprehensive, insightful and interesting review of this controversial subject!

By the way, our daughters have been vaccinated based on the information gleaned from this book.

In The HPV Vaccine Controversy, Shobha Krishnan covers quite a bit of ground. At the very beginning, she reminds the reader that this book is a reference guide for Parents, Doctors and Teenagers. It's a dense read; one that is well-researched, well-presented and well-covered. The book covers three main areas: What HPV is, who it's for and what should be done about it.

In the first area, What HPV is, Shobha Krisnan devotes quite some time to discussing what the HPV virus is, what it isn't, its forms and what parents should be concerned about. The HPV virus, says Shobha, is widely and readily passes from person to person, in its many different forms, via sexual or nonsexual means. It may cause simple warts to cervical and anal cancer, and may come and go on its own or require surgical excision and therapy. Since some strains of HPV may cause cervical cancer, an outline of what cancers they may cause is vastly discussed and may be beyond the reach of the lay reader who is not familiar with medical terminology or issuance.

The second area, who the HPV vaccine is for goes into quite a `sell'. What that means, is that an extraordinarily amount of the book is spent trying to persuade the reader (parents) why the vaccine is needed (and before their daughters are sexually active) in order for the vaccine to work properly. Since the main purpose of the book is to prevent cervical cancer via HPV vaccinations, there must be an explanation why parents need to vaccinate their young daughters when the outcome will not be seen for many decades. A point is brought up that boys should be vaccinated, as there is early proof that men infect others with the more serious strains of HPV virus that cause cervical and anal cancer. (So far, in the US, only Gardisil is approved for HPV vaccinations and only for girls and women up to age 26).

The last area, what should be done about the HPV vaccine, is, more or less, a reiteration of the first parts of the book. International, developing and underdeveloped countries are touched upon, as cervical cancer rates are much higher than in developed countries. Doctors and health care workers 'in the field' ask that the vaccine cover more than just those HPV strains that lead to cervical and anal cancer and to bring the cost down to a dollar a shot, compared to the three-shot requirement of over $120 per shot.

The book is a good resource and recommended for those parents and caregivers of young girls (and boys) who are concerned about HPV.