HPV Vaccine Proven Safe and Effective, Studies Counter robert โขF. kennedy Jr.’s Claims
WASHINGTON – โDecemberโ 6, 2023 – Major new studiesโค published by Cochrane, a global non-profit dedicated โขto healthcare research, definitively demonstrate teh safety and effectiveness of HPV vaccines in preventing cancer, directly contradicting claimsโฃ made byโ Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The findings, released โขTuesday, December 2, are โคbeing hailed as “methodically rigorous,” “robust,” and of “absoluteโฃ reference” by experts.
Cochrane โฃpublishedโค two reviews of existing scientific literature,buildingโ on previousโข work from the late 2010s and incorporating numerous new studies. The first review, focused โon clinical laboratory trials, found the vaccines to be safeโ but โขnoted a lack of long-term dataโ to assess effectiveness against cervical cancer within those trials.
Though, the second review, compilingโ over 200โ studies analyzing the impact of โvaccination campaigns, “clearly concludes that there is a decisive โeffect in preventingโข the โฃappearance of thes cancers.” The protective effect is strongest when vaccination occurs before sexual activity, as many individuals are โalready exposed to the virus at older ages, diminishing the vaccine’s impact.
The studiesโ also found the vaccine to be โคeffectiveโ against cancers of the โคvulva,anus,and penis,though โthe evidence was โdescribed as โฃ”of lower โquality” due to the rarity ofโ these conditions. Importantly,โฃ both reviews were reassuringโค regarding side effects, โconcluding that HPV vaccination is not associated wiht increased risk โคof long-term health problems or infertility.
“The vaccine works. โPeriod,” stated dr. Linda Eckert,professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Universityโ of Washington and โaโ cervical cancer expert,in a quote published by NBC News.
Jo Morrison, lead author of the โขCochrane Reviews, โadded, accordingโค to NBC News, “Our results clearly โshow thatโข there is no link โwithโค the various health problems that worryโฃ people,” referencing concerns circulating onโค social media about โคinfertility, chronic fatigue syndrome, and paralysis.
The release of these findingsโข comesโฃ asโ Robert F.Kennedy Jr. has increasingly focused on challenging childhood vaccinations. In 2019, he labeled the gardasil vaccine “the most dangerous โคvaccineโ ever designed.” The U.S. Department of Health has not yet โฃresponded toโข requests for comment from NBC โNews โregarding the newโ studies โand Kennedy’s claims.