The First Annual Cervical Cancer/HPV Conference Tackles Controversial Vaccine Issues and Encourage...(uer M.D. MPH California Department of Pu...),Health

-- Currently, there are more than 20 million people infected with a

genital HPV infection in the U.S.

-- There are 6.2 million new HPV infections annually, with more than 80

percent of people (men and women) acquiring the infection at some point

in their lives

-- Sixty percent of girls will contract the HPV infection by the time they

are 16 years of age or within 4 years of sexual debut.

-- Of the girls infected, 2/3 will clear the infection within 2 years

without intervention, although 10 percent will not be able to clear

infection at all and will go on to develop high-risk HPV or cervical

cancer

-- HPV is considered the "common cold" of STIs

-- Strains 16 and 18 account for more than 70 percent of HPV infections

-- Type 16 is responsible for more than half of all cervical cancers,

which Cervarix (GlaxoSmithKline) and Gardasil (Merck) are designed to

specifically target

Attending the conference were women, their families and friends from across the United States, all of whom have been affected in some way by HPV and/or cervical cancer, whether survivors or those seeking additional information. The main goal for the conference was to educate these women and provide them with the tools and information they need to become advocates for HPV and cervical cancer prevention within their own communities.

Inspiring a sisterhood among attendees, the women also focused on the stigma attached to having this specific type of cancer, especially since it is related to a sexually transmitted infection. Many women were made to feel shamed or dirty when they were diagnosed with HPV, even though it is the most common sexually transmitted infection. Many women addressed the fact that when they received their diagnosis of cervical can
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