Nishmat's Women’s Health and HalachaIn memory of Chaya Mirel bat R' Avraham

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HPV vaccine

11 November, 2018
Question:

Why do you endorse the HPV vaccine? Is it safe? Are women at risk of cervical cancer if they keep Taharat Mishpacha?


Answer:

The benefits of the HPV vaccine are prevention of cancer. The claimed risks have not been demonstrated in well-conducted medical studies and most Western countries are continuing to administer the vaccine and even expanding the population to whom it is given. For example, the vaccine is now being given to boys as well. While the rules of halacha regarding monogamous relationships should reduce the risk in women who keep these rules, they do not provide 100% protection as the virus can be spread in other ways besides sexual contact. Furthermore, over the course of a lifetime and especially among adolescents, less-than-perfect behaviors are possible.

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