Measles could affect usage of vaccine for HPV-related cancers
Mistrust of big pharma, and misinformation from Joseph Mercola and right-wing groups, has seen the effective HPV vaccine avoided
To understand why some parents have chosen not to protect their kids from measles, consider why parents shun another well-tested vaccine, which would protect children from a number of devastating forms of cancer. While more than 700 people have been infected by this latest measles outbreak in the US, thousands of young people are unnecessarily being infected with cancer-associated strains of human papillomavirus (HPV). These will slowly, quietly, cause cancer in some of them years later. “The anti-vaxxers really hate the HPV vaccine,” says Stewart Lyman, a cancer researcher who wrote a provocative opinion piece for the medical website STAT, connecting opposition against vaccines to an often-deserved public distrust of the pharmaceutical industry. He included a long list of breaches of trust — from high drug prices to bungled clinical trails to lies about the alleged safety of opioids. When I called Lyman, I found his primary concern related to vaccines is HPV. Though a vaccine has b...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.