• More than 50% of sexually active singles become infected in the US with the Human Papilloma Virus, or HPV, which has over 100 different strains. www.cancer.org
• Since it is a disease of the entire genital area spread by skin to skin contact, condoms do not stop the spread of the virus.
• Approximately 20 million Americans are already infected with HPV and another 6.2 million become infected each year.
• Up to 90% of vaginal cancers and pre-cancers contain HPV.
• HPV is spread by skin contact, which means sex does not have to occur. The only way to completely prevent HPV infection is to never allow another person to have contact with those areas of the body.
• Gardasil, the vaccine to protect against HPV, only provides some protection to four of the 40 different strains of this disease. Gardasil is NOT a safeguard for
STIs or cervical cancer. Some birth defects were also reported in women who became pregnant 30 days after injection. Side effects include itching, severe headaches, dizziness, temporary loss of vision, slurred speech, fainting, seizures, muscle weakness, tingling and numbness in hands and feet and joint pain, and
Guillain-Barre Syndrome.
American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org; Gardasil, Peg Luksik, PhD, www.cogforlife.org.