Interview with Dr. David Agus on Live With Kelly and Ryan
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I'll be frank, I want to eradicate cancer. Desperately. Immediately. Quickly. Unfortunately, we don't have that power now. I'm hopeful that changes during my lifetime, but cancer is incredibly complex and complicated. However, we live in extraordinary times and we have a life changing vaccination in our arsenal - the HPV vaccination. This is embroiled in controversy with many parents refusing the administration of this very important vaccine. Why? The parents that are refusing the vaccine have the best intentions, they are trying to give the best possible medical care to their child. We live in a time where there is great distrust of the medical profession and big pharma. A healthy dose of skepticism is essential, we should not blindly follow recommendations without greater understanding. But why does a parent take their child to a doctor they don't trust?
These entities recommend the HPV vaccine - the Centers for Disease Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), and likely, your family physician. HPV vaccines have been extensively studied in double blind studies with thousands of patients. When investigated carefully, the numbers are galvinizing: 17,500 women diagnosed with HPV-related cancers in the United States each year. 9,300 men diagnosed with HPV-related cancers in the United States each year. 6,100 deaths in the United States from HPV-related cancers each year (estimated based on death rate versus prevalence of HPV-related cancer). When we expand this outside the United States the numbers are sobering, worldwide an estimated 295,000 deaths per year are attributed to HPV-related cancers. What types of cancers are HPV-related? Cervical, Vaginal, Vulvar, Penile, Anal, and Throat Cancers. Cancers affecting both women and men. There's a stigma about many of these cancers. Would the adoption of the vaccination be better if it targeted less controversial cancers like leukemia or skin cancer? Remember, the HPV vaccine has been extensively studied in rigorous scientific studies. The majority of the side effects are mild and serious side effects are rare. A quick search on the internet shows a multitude of anecdotal stories warning against this vaccine. These have vague correlations and are of questionable value. But what isn't questionable? Over 25,000 people in the United States that are diagnosed with HPV-related cancers every year. Many of them will die. This could be your mother, your son, or your best friend. Don't take my advice on this, talk to your doctor. If you don't trust your doctor, find a new one. Seriously. Don't seek medical care from someone that you don't trust and respect. Pose difficult questions for your doctor, investigate their response, do your own research. However, don't join the anti-vaccine bandwagon without understanding the risks. It could be you diagnosed with HPV-related cancer in the future and we only get one life to live. Use it wisely. |
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