Fact Or Fiction: Does The HPV Vaccine Work? (VIDEO)

The human papilloma virus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections today, and it is responsible for a wide range of health issues, including genital warts, as well as cancers of the cervix, throat, and anus. In order to combat HPV and its devastating effects, a vaccine (Gardasil) was introduced in 2006 and it is currently approved for use in both men and women. However, ever since Gardasil hit the market, the rumor mill has been in overdrive. People have questioned whether the vaccine is actually effective at preventing HPV, whether it gives young folks a “license to be promiscuous,” and whether it causes negative side effects (in fact, former Republican Presidential candidate Michele Bachmann once famously claimed that the vaccine can cause mental retardation). So what’s fact and what’s fiction when it comes to Gardasil? Check out the video below for a reality check from Dr. Aaron Carroll of Indiana University.

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