Comments for erv

Comment on Michael Douglas and HPV by George Chadick

George Chadick — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 03:00:52 +0000

It’s never “great” when anyone gets any sort of cancer, but Michael Douglas has managed to squeeze some good out of his situation. Last I read all the god botherers were down with the line that HPV vaccination somehow sent a message to girls that the squeak and giggle is just fine with Jesus. Now the script is going to need a re-write.

Comment on New ideas for saving Tasmanian Devils by Ausduck

Ausduck — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 02:22:19 +0000

Erv,

The plight of the devils is much watched and researched here in Aus, you aren’t the only one that is on tenterhooks re their survival as a species. I’d like to still be able to go to Cradle Mountain in Tasmania and see the wild devils.
We need our marsupial carnivores to continue to survive

Comment on Michael Douglas and HPV by Brakeman

Brakeman — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 11:23:33 +0000

DC the “most older people have it already” argument is not valid because there is a currently available blood test for HPV and many, like myself, do not have it. So why shouldn’t I be able to get the vaccine?

Comment on Michael Douglas and HPV by Chenzen

Chenzen — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 02:21:43 +0000

I think boys/males should get the HPV vaccine. The fact that they are the carrier of the disease should be important to parents. Even though they may not get the virus the risk of them getting neck and throat cancer from the virus is still very high. If they parents take this seriously they can help to stop spreading the virus and also help also with contraction of the that type of cancer as well.

Comment on Michael Douglas and HPV by D. C. Sessions

D. C. Sessions — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 02:57:18 +0000

Why are all older people excluded from the benefits and protection of this vaccine?

The statistically valid observation that by age 26, absent the vaccine, most people are colonized. And, yes, there are obvious exceptions — but from a public health standpoint they’re not the slam-dunk case that younger people are.

Comment on Michael Douglas and HPV by Brakeman

Brakeman — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 00:44:43 +0000

Abbie,
Could you explain to us laypeople why Gardasil may only be given to age 26 and below. Why are all older people excluded from the benefits and protection of this vaccine? I can google of course, but I am not satisfied with the answers I’ve seen and I don’t feel that I know enough about modern vaccines to adequately avoid the bullshit.
So, what is your opinion?

Comment on Michael Douglas and HPV by rork

rork — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 19:11:16 +0000

Theo51 intended no reference Abbie’s article I believe, but is saying vaccination and GMO opinions are correlated in the wild (in the USA, perhaps). Maybe intent is to disparage anti-GMO folks. Or I’m not getting something.

PS: I should have added earlier (#2) that the head+neck cancers are more deadly than the cervical ones (which have better early detection), so I wondered if the mortality from HPV is actually now greater in men than women, and the benefit of vaxing greater in men as measured by something like quality-adjusted years of live saved. That might get some takers.

Comment on Michael Douglas and HPV by Something else

Something else — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 15:13:37 +0000

“Correlation is not causation,”

I think thats what the *know* 2 words before “cause” was for.

Comment on Michael Douglas and HPV by rork

rork — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 12:34:03 +0000

Thankyou for this post.
Uptake of vaccine by young men has not been good, perhaps partly due to the mistaken idea that men are not at cancer risk from HPV. The reality is that head and neck cancers thanks to HPV are increasing, and more than 80% of those are in men. Evidence suggests they are performing more oral sex acts than in olden times.

Here’s a pointer about a recent review that has incidence rates for various HPV associated cancers:
http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/newsfromnci/2013/ReportNation You’ll see tidbit like HPV-associated anal cancer incidences increasing in both men and women, with rates higher in women. Get it together out there.

Comment on Michael Douglas and HPV by Theo51

Theo51 — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 03:56:34 +0000

Correlation is not causation, but I must point out that a whole bunch of the hysterical anti-vaccination crowd are also the anti-GMO folks.