HPV Vaccine No More Painful Than Other Shots
(HealthDay News) -- There have been reports that injections of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine are especially painful, but a new study finds that they don't hurt more than any other shots.
Public health officials worried that reports of excess pain might prevent young women from getting the vaccine, which protects against a virus that can cause cervical cancer, some other kinds of cancer and genital warts. There was also concern that some women might not get all three required doses.
Overall, only a little more than one-third of all teen girls in the United States who are eligible for the vaccine have gotten one or more doses, according to a report.
Researchers at the University of North Carolina discovered that most parents of teen girls who got the HPV vaccine said their daughters didn't experience unusual pain compared to two other kinds of injections -- tetanus boosters and meningococcal vaccinations.
The study was released online in September in advance of publication in an upcoming print issue of the journal Vaccine.
"Some stories about HPV vaccine side effects and pain have been downright scary.
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